"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond," signifies lower and higher, wise and simple, both those who think from themselves, and those who think from others; "to give them a mark on their right hand, and on their foreheads," signifies a testification of acknowledgment that they belong to the church, and are in the truths and goods, so called, of that faith.

"And that no man should be able to buy or sell, save he that hath the mark of the beast," signifies prohibition lest any one learn or teach anything else than what is acknowledged and thence received in that doctrine; "or the name of the beast, or the number of his name," signifies either what is similar to it as to life, or similar to it as to faith.