| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And 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. | 1And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. He had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. |
| 2And 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. | 2The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear's, and his mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. |
| 3One 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. | 3One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. |
| 4And 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?” | 4They 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 him?" |
| 5And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. | 5A mouth was given to him to speak boasts and blasphemies. He was also given authority to act for 42 months. |
| 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. | 6He began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling--those who dwell in heaven. |
| 7Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, | 7And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. |
| 8and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. | 8All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered. |
| 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear: | 9If anyone has an ear, he should listen: |
| 10If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. | 10If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed. This demands the perseverance and faith of the saints. |
| 11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. | 11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb, but he sounded like a dragon. |
| 12It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. | 12He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. |
| 13It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, | 13He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people. |
| 14and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. | 14He deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who had the sword wound and yet lived. |
| 15And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. | 15He was permitted to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. |
| 16Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, | 16And he requires everyone--small and great, rich and poor, free and slave--to be given a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, |
| 17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. | 17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast's name or the number of his name. |
| 18This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. | 18Here is wisdom: The one who has understanding must calculate the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man. His number is 666. |
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