A beast rises from the sea, and a second beast from the earth makes everyone worship the first and receive its mark. Its number is 666. Christians have interpreted these images in different ways.
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 .