Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up
out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten
crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
The beast which I
saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his
mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his
throne, and great authority.
One of his heads looked like it had
been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth
marveled at the beast.
They worshiped the dragon, because he
gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying,
"Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
A
mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority
to make war for forty-two months was given to him.
He opened his
mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his
dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.
It was given to him to make
war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe,
people, language, and nation was given to him.
All who dwell on
the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written
from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who
has been killed.
If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
If
anyone has captivity, he goes away. If anyone is with the sword, he
must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two
horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
He exercises all
the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth
and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound
was healed.
He performs great signs, even making fire come down
out of the sky on the earth in the sight of men.
He deceives my
own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was
given to him to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on
the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the
sword wound and lived.
It was given to him to give breath to
it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both
speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to
be killed.
He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and
the poor, and the free and the slave, so that they should give them
marks on their right hand, or on their forehead;
and that no
one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name
of the beast or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. He who
has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is
the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.