The First Beast
1
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, 1with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and 2blasphemous names on its heads.
2
And the beast that I saw was 3like a leopard; its feet were like 4a bear's, and its mouth was like 5a lion's mouth. And to it 6the dragon gave his power and 7his throne and great authority.
3
One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and 8the 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, 9"Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"
5
And the beast was given 10a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for 11forty-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 12to 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 13who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in 14the book of life of 15the Lamb 16who was slain.
9
17If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10
18If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; 19if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.20Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
The Second Beast
11
Then 21I 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, 22whose mortal wound was healed.
14
and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence ofd the beast 25it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast 26that 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 27worship the image of the beast 28to be slain.
16
Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,e29to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)