The second beast was allowed to put breath into the statue of the first beast. Then the statue of the first beast could talk and put to death whoever would not worship it. The second beast forces all people—important and unimportant people, rich and poor people, free people and slaves—to be branded on their right hands or on their foreheads. It does this so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the brand, which is the beast’s name or the number of its name.
I saw another beast come from the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb. It talked like a serpent. The second beast uses all the authority of the first beast in its presence. The second beast makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. The second beast performs spectacular signs. It even makes fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do in front of the first beast. It tells those living on earth to make a statue for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived.
All the people of the world were amazed and followed the beast. They worshiped the serpent because it had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast and said, “Who is like the beast? Who can fight a war with it?” The beast was allowed to speak arrogant and insulting things. It was given authority to act for 42 months. It opened its mouth to insult God, to insult his name and his tent—those who are living in heaven.
It was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. Everyone living on earth will worship it, everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life. That book belongs to the lamb who was slaughtered before the creation of the world.
I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns on its horns. There were insulting names on its heads. The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear’s feet. Its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The serpent gave its power, kingdom, and far-reaching authority to the beast. One of the beast’s heads looked like it had a fatal wound, but its fatal wound was healed.
When the serpent saw that it had been thrown down to earth, it persecuted the woman who had given birth to the boy.
The woman was given the two wings of the large eagle in order to fly away from the snake to her place in the wilderness, where she could be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time. The snake’s mouth poured out a river of water behind the woman in order to sweep her away. The earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river which had poured out of the serpent’s mouth. The serpent became angry with the woman. So it went away to fight with her other children, the ones who keep God’s commands and hold on to the testimony of Jesus.
The serpent stood on the sandy shore of the sea.
The serpent stood on the sandy shore of the sea.
Then a war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels had to fight a war with the serpent. The serpent and its angels fought.
But it was not strong enough, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge serpent was thrown down. That ancient snake, named Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was thrown down to earth. Its angels were thrown down with it.
Another sign appeared in the sky: a huge fiery red serpent with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky and threw them down to earth.
The serpent stood in front of the woman who was going to give birth so that it could devour her child when it was born. She gave birth to a son, a boy, who is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter. Her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne.
Then the woman fled into the wilderness where God had prepared a place for her so that she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Then the 24 leaders, who were sitting on their thrones in God’s presence, immediately bowed, worshiped God, and said,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,who is and who was,because you have taken your great power and have begun ruling as king. The nations were angry, but your anger has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged:to reward your servants, the prophets, your holy people, and those who fear your name, no matter if they are important or unimportant, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,who is and who was,because you have taken your great power and have begun ruling as king. The nations were angry, but your anger has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged:to reward your servants, the prophets, your holy people, and those who fear your name, no matter if they are important or unimportant, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
