Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

There appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun. Michael fights with the dragon, who persecutes the woman.

12 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars. ² And she was with child and cried out, travailing in birth, and pained, ready to be delivered. ³ And there appeared another wonder in heaven, for behold: a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and crowns upon his heads. ⁴ And his tail drew the third part of the stars and cast them to the earth.

And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered in order to devour her child as soon as it was born. ⁵ And she brought forth a man child who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. And her Son was taken up to God and to his seat. ⁶ And the woman fled into wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there 1,260 days.

⁷ And there was a great battle in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. And the dragon fought, and his angels, ⁸ but did not prevail; neither was their place found in heaven any more. ⁹ And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, who deceives all the world. And he was cast into the earth, and his angels were cast out also.

¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice saying, Now in heaven is made salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. For he is cast down who accused our brethren before God day and night. ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives to the death. ¹² Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil has come down to you, who has great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.

¹³ And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child. ¹⁴ And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, so that she could fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. ¹⁵ And the dragon cast out of his mouth water after the woman, like a river, intending that she be caught in the flood. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon cast out of his mouth. ¹⁷ And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And I stood on the sea sand.

A beast with seven heads and ten horns rises out of the sea. Another beast with two horns comes out of the earth.

13 And I saw a beast rise out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy. ² And the beast that I saw was like a cat of the mountain, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his seat, and great authority.

³ And I saw one of his heads, as it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world wondered at the beast. ⁴ And they worshipped the dragon that gave power to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to war with him?

⁵ And there was given to him a mouth that spoke great things, and blasphemies, and power was given to him to continue 42 months. ⁶ And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. ⁷ And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power was given him over every kindred, tongue, and nation. ⁸ And all who dwell upon the earth worshipped him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, who was killed from the beginning of the world. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ He who leads into captivity will go into captivity; he who kills with a sword must be killed with a sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

¹¹ And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as did the dragon. ¹² And he did all that the first beast could do in his presence. And he caused the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³ And he did great wonders, so that he made fire come down from heaven in the sight of men, ¹⁴ and deceived those who dwelt on the earth by means of those signs that he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to those who dwelt on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound of a sword and did live.

¹⁵ And he had power to give a spirit to the image of the beast, and that the image of the beast should speak, and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. ¹⁶ And he made all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, receive a mark in their right hands or in their foreheads. ¹⁷ And no one could buy or sell except one who had the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.