^13:1Then¹ I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It² had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns,³ and on its heads a blasphemous name.⁴^13:2Now⁵ the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The⁶ dragon gave the beast⁷ his power, his throne, and great authority to rule.⁸^13:3One of the beast’s⁹ heads appeared to have been killed,¹⁰ but the lethal wound had been healed.¹¹ And the whole world followed¹² the beast in amazement; ^13:4they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority¹³ to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?”¹⁴^13:5The beast¹⁵ was given a mouth speaking proud words¹⁶ and blasphemies, and he was permitted¹⁷ to exercise ruling authority¹⁸ for forty-two months. ^13:6So¹⁹ the beast²⁰ opened his mouth to blaspheme against God—to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place,²¹ that is, those who dwell in heaven.

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Footnotes

1 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
2 Grk “having” (a continuation of the previous sentence). All of the pronouns referring to this beast (along with the second beast appearing in 13:11) could be translated as “it” because the word for beast (θηρίον, thērion) is neuter gender in Greek and all the pronouns related to it are parsed as neuter in the Gramcord/Accordance database. Nevertheless, most interpreters would agree that the beast ultimately represents a human ruler, so beginning at the end of v. 4 the masculine pronouns (“he,” “him,” etc.) are used to refer to the first beast as well as the second beast appearing in 13:11.
3 For the translation of διάδημα (diadēma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196. Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.
4 Several (A 051 1611 1854 2053 2344 2351 𝔐K) read the plural ὀνόματα (onomata, “[blasphemous] names”), while the singular ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) has somewhat better support (𝔓47 א C 1006 1841 2329 𝔐A). The plural reading seems motivated by the fact that what is written is written “on its heads.” In the least, it is a clarifying reading. puts the plural in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity. Whether this means a single name on all seven heads or seven names, one on each head, is not clear.
5 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the parenthetical nature of the following description of the beast.
6 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
7 Grk “gave it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 For the translation “authority to rule” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
9 Grk “one of its heads”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
10 Grk “killed to death,” an expression emphatic in its redundancy. The phrase behind this translation is ὡς ἐσφαγμένον (hōs ejsphagmenon). The particle ὡς is used in Greek generally for comparison, and in Revelation it is used often to describe the appearance of what the author saw. In this instance, the appearance of the beast’s head did not match reality, because the next phrase shows that in fact it did not die. This text does not affirm that the beast died and was resurrected, but some draw this conclusion because of the only other use of the phrase, which refers to Jesus in 5:6.
11 The phrase τοῦ θανάτου (tou thanatou) can be translated as an attributive genitive (“deathly wound”) or an objective genitive (the wound which caused death) and the final αὐτοῦ (autou) is either possessive or reference/respect.
12 On the phrase “the whole world followed the beast in amazement,” θαυμάζω 2 states, “wonder, be amazed … Rv 17:8. In pregnant constr. ἐθαυμάσθη ὅλη ἡ γῆ ὀπίσω τ. θηρίου the whole world followed the beast, full of wonder 13:3 (here wonder becomes worship: cp. Ael. Aristid. 13 p. 290 D.; 39 p. 747 of Dionysus and Heracles, οἲ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν ἐθαυμάσθησαν. Sir 7:29; Jos., 3, 65.—The act. is also found in this sense: Cebes 2, 3 θ. τινά = ‘admire’ or ‘venerate’ someone; Epict. 1, 17, 19 θ. τὸν θεόν).”
13 For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
14 On the use of the masculine pronoun to refer to the beast, see the note on the word “It” in .
15 Grk “and there was given to him.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16 For the translation “proud words” (Grk “great things” or “important things”) see μέγας 4.b.
17 Grk “to it was granted.”
18 For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
19 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the permission granted to the beast.
20 Grk “he” (or “it”); the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 The reading “and his dwelling place” does not occur in codex C, but its omission is probably due to scribal oversight since the phrase has the same ending as the phrase before it, i.e., they both end in “his” (αὐτοῦ, autou). This is similar to the mistake this scribe made in 12:14 with the omission of the reading “and half a time” (καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ, kai hēmisu kairou).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed.

The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it?”

The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme his name and his dwelling—those who dwell in heaven.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.

I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”

Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And I saw coming up out of the sea a beast that had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten royal headbands, and on its heads a blasphemous name. And the beast that I saw was similar to a leopard, and its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. And one of its heads appeared as though slaughtered to death, and its fatal wound had been healed. And the whole earth was astonished and followed after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to make war with him?

And a mouth was given to him speaking great things and blasphemies, and authority to act was given to him for forty-two months. And he opened his mouth for blasphemies toward God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, those who live in heaven.

KJV 1900King James Version

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. 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. 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. 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? 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. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

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