1. AND I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2. And the beast which I raw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as 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 death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast.

4. And they worshipped the dragon, which gave power unto, the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power to act was given unto him forty and two 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 unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation.

8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world.

9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10. If anyone leadeth into captivity, he shall go into captivity: if anyone killeth with the sword, he must be killed with the 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 spake as a dragon.

12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.

13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire to come down out of heaven on the earth before men.

14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which hath the stroke of a sword, and did live.

15. And it was given unto him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to give them a mark on their right hand, or on their foreheads.

17. And that no man should be able to buy or sell, save he that hath the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

EXPLANATION.

VERSE 1. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

"And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea," signifies reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life: "having seven heads," signifies the knowledge of the holy things that are falsified and adulterated: "and ten horns," signifies much power: "and upon his horns ten diadems," signifies that power from appearances of truth in abundance: "and upon his heads the name of blasphemy," signifies falsifications of the Word.