The First Beast

13 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, ^(A)with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and ^(B)blasphemous names on its heads. ² And the beast that I saw was ^(C)like a leopard; its feet were like ^(D)a bear's, and its mouth was like ^(E)a lion's mouth. And to it ^(F)the dragon gave his power and ^(G)his throne and great authority. ³ One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and ^(H)the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. ⁴ And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ^(I)“Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

⁵ And the beast was given ^(J)a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for ^(K)forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,^[a] that is, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ Also it was allowed ^(L)to make war on the saints and to conquer them.^[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, ⁸ and all ^(M)who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in ^(N)the book of life of ^(O)the Lamb ^(P)who was slain. ^9 (Q)If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

^(T)Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The Second Beast

¹¹ Then ^(U)I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,^[c] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, ^(V)whose mortal wound was healed. ^13 (W)It performs great signs, even ^(X)making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, ¹⁴ and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of^[d] the beast ^(Y)it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast ^(Z)that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not ^(AA)worship the image of the beast ^(AB)to be slain. ¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,^{[e] (AC)}to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, ^(AD)the name of the beast or ^(AE)the number of its name. ^18 (AF)This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number ^(AG)of a man, and his number is 666.^[f]

⁸ The beast that you saw ^(A)was, and is not, and ^(B)is about to rise from ^(C)the bottomless pit^[a] and ^(D)go to destruction. And ^(E)the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in ^(F)the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because ^(G)it was and is not and is to come.

² not to be quickly shaken in mind or ^(A)alarmed, either ^(B)by a spirit or a ^(C)spoken word, or ^(D)a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that ^(E)the day of the Lord has come. ^3 (F)Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, ^(G)unless the rebellion comes first, and ^(H)the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed, ^(I)the son of destruction,^{[b] 4} who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, ^(J)proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For ^(K)the mystery of lawlessness ^(L)is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then ^(M)the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus ^(N)will kill with ^(O)the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by ^(P)the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan ^(Q)with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for ^(R)those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ Therefore ^(S)God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe ^(T)what is false, ¹² in order that all may be condemned ^(U)who did not believe the truth but ^(V)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹⁴ But the woman was given the two ^(A)wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent ^(B)into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished ^(C)for a time, and times, and half a time. ¹⁵ The serpent poured water ^(D)like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. ¹⁶ But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

^38 (A)Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.