Revelation 13: The Two Beasts
The dragon empowers a beast from the sea and a beast from the earth to deceive, demand worship, and war against the saints.
Revelation 13 (WEB)
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
2 The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast.
4 They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him.
6 He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10 If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people.
14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
Revelation 13 (KJV)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet 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 deadly wound was healed: and all the world 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 was given unto him to continue 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 all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
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 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I beheld 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 deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power 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 had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had 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 threescore and six.
Revelation 13 (ASV)
1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him?
5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.
9 If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. 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 unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.
13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he 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 who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.
15 And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;
17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
Summary
The dragon, unable to destroy the woman, raises up agents to do his work. A beast rises from the sea with seven heads and ten horns, bearing blasphemous names, given its power and throne by the dragon. One of its heads seems mortally wounded yet healed, and the astonished world worships both the dragon and the beast, asking who can fight against it. The beast blasphemes God, makes war on the saints and conquers them, and receives the worship of all whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. A call to endurance and faith is sounded for the saints in the midst of captivity and the sword. Then a second beast rises from the earth, with two horns like a lamb but a voice like a dragon. This false prophet exercises the first beast's authority, performs deceptive signs, and compels the world to worship the first beast and its image, even giving breath to the image so it can speak and kill. It marks people on the hand or forehead, so that none may buy or sell without the mark, the name of the beast or its number—and the chapter calls for wisdom to calculate the number of the beast, the number of a man, six hundred sixty-six. The passage exposes counterfeit worship and calls God's people to faithful endurance.
Key Figures
- The beast from the sea — A blasphemous power empowered by the dragon, worshiped by the world, who makes war on the saints and demands allegiance from all the earth.
- The beast from the earth — The false prophet with lamb-like horns and a dragon's voice, who deceives with signs and compels worship of the first beast and its mark.
- The saints — God's people written in the Lamb's book of life, called to endurance and faith as they refuse the beast's worship and bear its hostility.
Key Verse
Revelation 13:10 (WEB)
If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
Lessons Learned
- Evil works through deception, counterfeit power, and the demand for false worship.
- The beast can wage war on the saints, but their names are secure in the Lamb's book of life.
- Spiritual danger often comes dressed as something attractive and lamb-like.
- The saints are called to endurance and faith rather than retaliation or compromise.
- Worship is the great battleground. The world asks of the beast, “Who is like the beast?” (Revelation 13:4, WEB), echoing words owed to God alone. The deepest war is over whom we worship.
- Names are kept in the Lamb's book. Only those “written from the foundation of the world in the book of life” (Revelation 13:8, WEB) resist the beast. Our security is God's prior grace.
- Deception wears a gentle mask. The second beast has “two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11, WEB). False worship often imitates the true.
- The saints endure by faith. “Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:10, WEB). Faithfulness, not force, is the church's calling under pressure.
- How do the two beasts work together to draw the world into false worship?
- What does it mean that the beast can conquer the saints physically yet not claim those written in the Lamb's book of life?
- Why is it significant that the second beast looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon?
- What does the call to endurance and faith in verse 10 ask of God's people under pressure?
- Where are you tempted to give your ultimate allegiance to something other than God, and how can you resist?
- The first beast demands allegiance through power and blasphemy, while the second deceives through signs and enforces worship of the first (13:1-17). Help the group see how political force and religious deception combine to pull the world away from God.
- The beast may overcome the saints outwardly, even unto death, but cannot touch their standing before God, for their names are written in the Lamb's book (13:7-8). Discuss how true security rests not in escaping suffering but in belonging to Christ.
- The lamb-like appearance with a dragon's voice warns that the most dangerous deception imitates the true Lamb (13:11). Encourage discernment: not everything gentle and religious is from God; we must test the spirits.
- Verse 10 calls the saints to accept suffering, even captivity and death, with endurance and faith rather than vengeance. Their calling is to remain faithful under pressure, trusting God rather than resisting by the world's means.
- This is a personal-application question. Gently invite members to name the modern beasts—status, money, ideology, security—that compete for ultimate allegiance, and to recommit their worship to God alone. Keep the tone searching but hopeful.