| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name. | 1I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names. |
| 2Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule. | 2The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear's feet, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and complete authority. |
| 3One of the beast's heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement; | 3One of the beast's heads looked like it had sustained a mortal wound, but its fatal wound was healed. Rapt with amazement, the whole world followed the beast. |
| 4they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: "Who is like the beast?" and "Who is able to make war against him?" | 4They worshipped the dragon because it had given authority to the beast. They also worshipped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight a war with it?" |
| 5The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months. | 5The beast was allowed to speak arrogant and blasphemous things, and it was given authority for 42 months. |
| 6So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God--to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, that is, those who dwell in heaven. | 6It uttered blasphemies against God, against his name, and against his residence, that is, against those who are living in heaven. |
| 7The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, | 7It was allowed to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. |
| 8and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. | 8All those who had become settled down and at home, living on the earth, will worship it, everyone whose name had not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the lamb that had been slaughtered since the foundation of the world. |
| 9If anyone has an ear, he had better listen! | 9Let everyone listen: |
| 10If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed. This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints. | 10If anyone is to be taken captive, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed. Here is a call for endurance and faith of the saints: |
| 11Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like a dragon. | 11I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it talked like a dragon. |
| 12He exercised all the ruling authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed. | 12It uses all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. |
| 13He performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people | 13It performs spectacular signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. |
| 14and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived. | 14It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, telling them to make an image for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived. |
| 15The second beast was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. | 15The second beast was allowed to impart life to the image of the first beast so that the image of the beast could talk and order the execution of those who would not worship the image of the beast. |
| 16He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. | 16The second beast forces all people—important and unimportant, rich and poor, free and slaves—to be marked on their right hands or on their foreheads, |
| 17Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast--that is, his name or his number. | 17so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the mark, which is the beast's name or the number of its name. |
| 18This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast's number, for it is man's number, and his number is 666. | 18In this case wisdom is needed: Let the person who has understanding calculate the total number of the beast, because it is a human total number, and the sum of the number is 666. |
|
