The Beast out of the Sea

13 The dragon^[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea.^(A) It had ten horns and seven heads,^(B) with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.^{(C) 2} The beast I saw resembled a leopard,^(D) but had feet like those of a bear^(E) and a mouth like that of a lion.^(F) The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.^{(G) 3} One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed.^(H) The whole world was filled with wonder^(I) and followed the beast. ⁴ People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like^(J) the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies^(K) and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.^{(L) 6} It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.^{(M) 7} It was given power to wage war^(N) against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.^{(O) 8} All inhabitants of the earth^(P) will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life,^(Q) the Lamb^(R) who was slain from the creation of the world.^[b](S)

⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(T)

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness^(V) on the part of God’s people.^(W)

The Beast out of the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth.^(X) It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.^{(Y) 12} It exercised all the authority^(Z) of the first beast on its behalf,^(AA) and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast,^(AB) whose fatal wound had been healed.^{(AC) 13} And it performed great signs,^(AD) even causing fire to come down from heaven^(AE) to the earth in full view of the people. ¹⁴ Because of the signs^(AF) it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived^(AG) the inhabitants of the earth.^(AH) It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.^{(AI) 15} The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship^(AJ) the image to be killed.^{(AK) 16} It also forced all people, great and small,^(AL) rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,^{(AM) 17} so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark,^(AN) which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.^(AO)

¹⁸ This calls for wisdom.^(AP) Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.^[e](AQ) That number is 666.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,^(AR) standing on Mount Zion,^(AS) and with him 144,000^(AT) who had his name and his Father’s name^(AU) written on their foreheads.^{(AV) 2} And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters^(AW) and like a loud peal of thunder.^(AX) The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.^{(AY) 3} And they sang a new song^(AZ) before the throne and before the four living creatures^(BA) and the elders.^(BB) No one could learn the song except the 144,000^(BC) who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.^(BD) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.^(BE) They were purchased from among mankind^(BF) and offered as firstfruits^(BG) to God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths;^(BH) they are blameless.^(BI)

The Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair,^(BJ) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth^(BK)—to every nation, tribe, language and people.^{(BL) 7} He said in a loud voice, “Fear God^(BM) and give him glory,^(BN) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made^(BO) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”^(BP)

⁸ A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’^[f](BQ) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”^(BR)

⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast^(BS) and its image^(BT) and receives its mark on their forehead^(BU) or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,^(BV) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.^(BW) They will be tormented with burning sulfur^(BX) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.^(BY) There will be no rest day or night^(BZ) for those who worship the beast and its image,^(CA) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”^{(CB) 12} This calls for patient endurance^(CC) on the part of the people of God^(CD) who keep his commands^(CE) and remain faithful to Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord^(CF) from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit,^(CG) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress

¹⁴ I looked, and there before me was a white cloud,^(CH) and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man^[g](CI) with a crown^(CJ) of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Then another angel came out of the temple^(CK) and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle^(CL) and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest^(CM) of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.^{(CN) 18} Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar^(CO) and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle^(CP) and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(CQ) 20} They were trampled in the winepress^(CR) outside the city,^(CS) and blood^(CT) flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.^[h]

Seven Angels With Seven Plagues

15 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign:^(CU) seven angels^(CV) with the seven last plagues^(CW)—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. ² And I saw what looked like a sea of glass^(CX) glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious^(CY) over the beast^(CZ) and its image^(DA) and over the number of its name.^(DB) They held harps^(DC) given them by God ³ and sang the song of God’s servant^(DD) Moses^(DE) and of the Lamb:^(DF)

⁵ After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple^(DN)—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law^(DO)—and it was opened.^{(DP) 6} Out of the temple^(DQ) came the seven angels with the seven plagues.^(DR) They were dressed in clean, shining linen^(DS) and wore golden sashes around their chests.^{(DT) 7} Then one of the four living creatures^(DU) gave to the seven angels^(DV) seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.^{(DW) 8} And the temple was filled with smoke^(DX) from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple^(DY) until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.