Revelation 13:7

7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

Revelation 13:7 in Other Translations

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,

7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.

7 It was permitted to make war on God's holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races.

7 And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.

Revelation 13:7 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 13:7

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints
The remnant of the woman's seed, ( Revelation 12:17 ) , whom God has set apart for himself, Christ has cleansed from sin by his blood, and the Holy Spirit has sanctified by his grace; and who under the influence of it live holy lives and conversations; against such Satan always bore an enmity; and it is an aggravation of the wickedness of the Romish antichrist, that he makes war with such, which he is stirred up to by Satan, with a malicious intent, and is permitted by God for the trial of the faith and patience of his people: this war of antichrist, with the saints, may be understood not merely spiritually, of his anathemas, excommunications, bulls, and the like, but literally, of his drawing the temporal sword against them; see ( Revelation 13:10 ) ; and bringing of armies against them, and fighting pitched battles; and it is thought there may be a special regard had to his war with the Waldenses and Albigenses, in which war it is said that a million were slain; and may take in all his ways and methods of destroying the saints, by the bloody Inquisition, murders, massacres, and punishments of all sorts; and also his last war with the two witnesses, in which they will be slain, which is yet to come, ( Revelation 11:7 ) ;

and to overcome them:
not so as to submit to him, and to forsake the doctrines and ordinances of Christ, but by killing them; and who, by dying in the faith and cause of Christ, overcome Satan, get the victory over the world, and antichrist, and are more than conquerors through him that has loved them.

And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations;
in the Roman empire, which wondered after him, and worshipped him, and over whom he has reigned, and has exercised both a temporal and spiritual jurisdiction; see ( Revelation 17:15 Revelation 17:18 ) .

Revelation 13:7 In-Context

5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.

6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Cross References

• 1. Daniel 7:21; Revelation 11:7
• 2. Revelation 5:9; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 10:11; Revelation 17:15