 1 Then standing on the sand of the seashore, I saw a beast rise up out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns. On his horns were ten crowns and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 The beast that I saw was like a leopard. His feet were like those of a bear and his mouth like a lion's. The dragon gave him his power, his throne+, and great authority. 3 I saw that one of his heads was mortally+ wounded but then the wound was healed and all the world marveled+ over the beast. 4 So the people worshiped the dragon that gave authority+ to the beast and they worshiped the beast saying: Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him? 5 The beast was given a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies, and he was given power to continue for forty two months. 6 So he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and those who live in Heaven. 7 He was given the ability to make war with the saints and overcome them with power over all families+, tongues, and nations. 8 All who live on the Earth will worship the beast, except not those whose names are written in the Book of Life by the Lamb who was slain. His from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let them hear. 10 Those who lead into captivity shall go into captivity. Those who kill by the sword must be killed by the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 11 Then I saw+ another beast coming up out of the Earth with two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon. 12 This beast exercises all the authority+ of the first beast before him, and he causes all the Earth and those who live there to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He does great wonders, even causing+ fire to come down from Heaven to Earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who live on the Earth by performing miracles~ that he is given+ the power to do in the sight of the beast. Then he tells those who live on the Earth that they should make an image to the beast that had been mortally wounded by a sword, but yet lived. 15 The second beast had power to give life to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause all+ who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 This beast causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads, 17 so that no one may buy or sell except+ those who have the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom: Let those who have understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty six.
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