Of the beast with seven heads and of a second beast.

¹ And I saw a beast ascending from the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its horns were ten diadems, and upon its heads were names of blasphemy.¹²³

1. 13:1In this chapter, the beast with seven heads is the kingdom of the Antichrist, and that kingdom is referred to using the pronoun ‘it’ because it is not an individual. The one head of the seven that was healed of a mortal wound is the Antichrist, who will be one particular human being, so he is referred to with masculine pronouns. And the false prophet who assists the Antichrist will be a woman, an anti-type of the Virgin Mary. This false prophet is referred to in this translation with feminine pronouns. At times the word ‘beast’ is used to refer to the kingdom of the Antichrist, and at other times the word ‘beast’ is used to refer to the Antichrist himself.(Conte)
2. 13:1The beast is a kingdom. The sea represents a great sea of people, from many different nations, languages, and cultures. The ten horns are ten rulers, one over each of the ten kingdoms comprising all the nations of the world. The ten diadems are the ten positions of leadership, one for each kingdom. The kingdom of the ten kings will rule the world for several generations. Then the Antichrist will replace one of the kings (the king of the North, whose kingdom includes part of Europe). Next, the Antichrist defeats three kings. Thus, the kingdom of ten kings becomes ruled by seven heads, i.e. the Antichrist plus the six remaining kings. The kingdom of the Antichrist is the kingdom with seven heads and ten horns.(Conte)
3. 13:1A beast: This first beast with seven heads and ten horns, is probably the whole company of infidels, enemies and persecutors of the people of God, from the beginning to the end of the world. The seven heads are seven kings, that is, seven principal kingdoms or empires, which have exercised, or shall exercise, tyrannical power over the people of God; of these, five were then fallen, viz.: the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, and Grecian monarchies: one was present, viz., the empire of Rome: and the seventh and chiefest was to come, viz., the great Antichrist and his empire. The ten horns may be understood of ten lesser persecutors.(Challoner)

² And the beast that I saw was similar to a leopard, and its feet were like the feet of a bear, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave his own power and great authority to it.¹

1. 13:2The leopard, bear, and lion represent the kingdoms where the Antichrist will have the most power within his kingdom. The dragon is the fallen angel called Satan, who supports the Antichrist and his kingdom with all his might. Notice, however, that the kingdom is run by the Antichrist, not by Satan. The fallen angels are not permitted to have power over men like that of kings. Fallen angels may attempt to influence them, but they cannot take charge of even the most evil kingdom.(Conte)

³ And I saw that one of its heads seemed to be slain unto death, but his deadly wound was healed. And the entire world was in wonder following the beast.¹²

1. 13:3The head which was slain and then healed is the Antichrist. The world is conquered with force by the Antichrist, but it is also seduced by him into freely choosing evil. After he begins his reign over nearly the whole world, the Antichrist has a mortal wound, inflicted by a weapon, but the mortal wound is healed. This helps him convince people to worship him, so that he does not merely possess political and military power over the world, but is worshiped.(Conte)
2. 13:3One of his heads, etc: Some understand this of the mortal wound, which the idolatry of the Roman empire (signified by the sixth head) received from Constantine; which was, as it were, healed again by Julian the Apostate.(Challoner)

⁴ And they worshiped the dragon, who gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying: “Who is like the beast? And who would be able to fight with it?”¹

1. 13:4The worship of evil is really a kind of worship of Satan (the dragon). This worship of evil leads to a worship of the kingdom of the Antichrist, the kingdom referred to as the beast, which is strong in promoting evil throughout the world.(Conte)

⁵ And there was given to it a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies. And authority was given to him to act for forty-two months.¹

1. 13:5The mouth speaking great things is the Antichrist. For the first half of his reign, 42 months, he attempts to force the world to worship him. He uses the force of weapons and unjust law enforcement to try to force people to worship him.(Conte)

⁶ And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven.¹²

1. 13:6The Antichrist blasphemes against God and attempts to destroy all religion, except the worship of himself. But this is not, at this point in time, an organized religion with ceremonies, etc.(Conte)
2. 13:6His tabernacle, etc: That is, his church and his saints.(Challoner)

⁷ And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to him over every tribe and people and language and nation.¹

1. 13:7The Antichrist is permitted to use the force of war and battles and weapons to conquer the Church, forbidding the practice of Christianity (and of Judaism, and of Islam) under pain of death. He succeeds in conquering the world by force of arms, but he does not win over their hearts and minds. Even many wicked persons resent the Antichrist and follow him only unwillingly. There are constant attempted rebellions against him.(Conte)

⁸ And all who inhabit the earth worshiped the beast, those whose names have not been written, from the origin of the world, in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain.¹²

1. 13:8This is the third time that we are told about this false worship. First, in verse four we are told that they worship the dragon (Satan). Then, in the same verse, we are told that they worship the beast (the kingdom). Now, in this verse, we are told that they worship the person of the Antichrist. Notice that both the kingdom and the leader of that kingdom (the Antichrist) are referred to as the beast. (The pronoun ‘eam’ in Latin refers to the beast, a word which is feminine in Latin.) The worship of evil (Satan) leads to a worship of the kingdom of the Antichrist (the beast), which leads to a worship of the person of the Antichrist (also called the beast).(Conte)
2. 13:8Slain from the beginning, etc: In the foreknowledge of God; and inasmuch as all mercy and grace, from the beginning, was given in view of his death and passion.(Challoner)

⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

¹⁰ Whoever will be led into captivity, into captivity he goes. Whoever will kill with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the patient endurance and faith of the Saints.¹

1. 13:10God’s Providence permits the Antichrist to have power over nearly the whole world for nearly seven years. Nothing can be done about it. The force of arms will not shorten the Antichrist’s reign. Even prayer will not shorten his reign. The time allotted is the time allotted. The Saints must accept captivity and even death, with patient endurance and in true faith.(Conte)

¹¹ And I saw another beast ascending from the land. And she had two horns like the Lamb, but she was speaking like the dragon.¹²

1. 13:11When a beast symbolically arises from the sea, this refers to a kingdom that arises from the great sea of different peoples and languages and nations. When a beast arises from the land, this refers to one individual human person, because human persons are made from the dust of the earth. This beast is the false prophetess, a woman. The passage about the harlot (feminine) ruling over the world from the city with seven hills (Rome), makes it clear that the false prophet is a woman and an antipope. Also, later in the book, the beast (i.e. the Antichrist) and the false prophet are thrown alive (body and soul) into Hell. If the Antichrist is a perverse imitation of Christ, then the false prophetess is a perverse imitation of the Virgin Mary. Now Christ and Mary are the only two persons in Heaven with both a human body and a human soul. Therefore, the Antichrist and the false prophet are the only two persons in Hell with both a human body and a human soul; one male and one female, like Jesus and Mary in Heaven, like Adam and Eve in Paradise. All this indicates clearly that the false prophet is really a false prophetess.(Conte)
2. 13:11Another beast: This second beast with two horns, may be understood of the heathenish priests and magicians; the principal promoters both of idolatry and persecution.(Challoner)

¹² And she acted with all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And she caused the earth, and those dwelling in it, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.¹

1. 13:12For the first half of his reign, the Antichrist attempted to use force to obtain the worshipful obedience of the world. But all he obtained was an unwilling external obedience; few persons worshipped him willingly. Now, in the last half of his reign, the false prophetess assists the Antichrist in obtaining the worship that he desires. She convinces the Antichrist to use false doctrines and a perverse version of Catholic Christianity to seduce the minds and hearts of the people of the world. Formerly, the Antichrist sought to be worshiped, but without ceremonies and formal doctrines and an institutional church. Now all the peoples of the world are pressured into joining in this false worship. Formerly closed Catholic churches are reopened and dedicated to this new evil purpose; new churches are built for this false worship. The false prophetess is a woman antipope, who uses false teachings and a perverse version of every Sacrament of Catholicism to try to convince the world to worship the Antichrist. She uses the healing of the Antichrist’s wound to claim that he is the Messiah, as if his healing from a deadly wound were analogous (perversely) to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But they deny that Jesus Christ came as God Incarnate.(Conte)

¹³ And she accomplished great signs, even so that she would cause fire to descend from the sky to the earth in the sight of men.¹

1. 13:13She is assisted by fallen angels in producing great signs and wonders. This is one of the reasons why the Antichrist agrees to her plan to seduce the world with a perverse version of Catholicism, because she can perform signs and wonders, and she promises that he will be able to do the same.(Conte)

¹⁴ And she seduced those living on the earth, by means of the signs that were given to her to perform in the sight of the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth that they should make an image of the beast who had a wound of the sword and yet lived.¹

1. 13:14She now sets up various aspects of Catholicism, perverted to this evil worship of the Antichrist, such as icons (religious images) and false versions of the Sacraments, including, most horrifically, a perverse version of the Eucharist, that Most Blessed Sacrament, which in its perverse invalid form is called the abomination of desolation.(Conte)

¹⁵ And it was given to her to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would speak. And she acted so that whoever would not worship the image of the beast would be slain.¹

1. 13:15The world is forced to join in this false worship, under pain of death. Many true worshipers of God will be put to death at this time, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The image of the beast is given the ability to produce false signs and wonders by means of fallen angels.(Conte)

¹⁶ And she will cause everyone, small and great, wealthy and poor, free and servant, to have a character on their right hand or on their foreheads,

¹⁷ so that no one may buy or sell, unless he has the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.¹

1. 13:17The mark of the beast is used to force the worship of the Antichrist, so that no one may obtain the necessities of life without assenting to this false worship. In that future time, faithful Christians are permitted to expropriate the goods that they need to survive; this is not stealing and is not immoral.(Conte)

¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Whoever has intelligence, let him determine the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.¹²

1. 13:18The number is the name of the Antichrist. His name has six letters in his first name, six letters in his middle name, and six letters in his last name. Some ancient manuscripts have the number as 616, which stands for the six letters in his first name, the one letter of his middle initial, and the six letters in his last name. This is the correct interpretation because it fits the chapter and verse numbers: 6 + 1 + 6 = 13 and 6 + 6 + 6 = 18; the chapter is 13 and the verse is 18. Furthermore, the number 600, written in Aramaic, is written as 400-200 (the character for 400 and the character for 200 joined together), therefore, one of his names (the first or the last?) will have the six letters separated by a hyphen: 4 letters - 2 letters.(Conte)
2. 13:18Six hundred sixty-six: The numeral letters of his name shall make up this number.(Challoner)