兩隻怪獸
1我又看見一隻怪獸從海中上來，有七頭十角，每隻角上都戴著一個冠冕，每個頭上都寫著褻瀆上帝的名號。 2牠看起來像豹，卻有熊的腳和獅子的口。巨龍將自己的能力、王位和大權柄都交給了怪獸。 3我看見怪獸的一個頭似乎受了致命傷，這傷卻復原了。全世界的人都驚奇地跟從了牠。 4他們拜巨龍，因為巨龍將自己的權力給了怪獸。他們又拜怪獸，說：「有誰比得上這獸呢？誰能與牠對抗呢？」 5巨龍又使怪獸說狂妄、褻瀆的話，並給牠權柄，可以任意妄為四十二個月。 6怪獸開口褻瀆上帝的名、上帝的居所和一切居住在天上的。 7牠又獲准去攻打聖徒，征服他們，並得到權柄制伏各民族、各部落、各語言族群、各國家。 8凡住在地上的人，就是從創世以來名字沒有記在被殺羔羊的生命冊上的，都會崇拜怪獸。
9凡有耳朵的都應當聽。
10該被擄的人必被擄，
該被刀殺的必被刀殺。
因此，聖徒需要堅忍和信心。
11我又看見另一隻怪獸從地裡竄出來，牠的兩隻角像羔羊的角，說話卻像龍， 12在頭一隻怪獸面前行使頭一隻怪獸的一切權柄。牠命令世上的人拜曾受了致命傷但已復原的頭一隻怪獸， 13又行大奇蹟，當眾叫火從天降到地上。 14牠在頭一隻怪獸面前獲准行奇蹟，欺騙了普世的人，並吩咐他們為受了刀傷卻仍然活著的頭一隻怪獸塑像。 15牠又獲准給怪獸的塑像生命氣息，使牠不但能說話，還能使所有不敬拜那像的人遭害。 16牠又強迫所有的人，不論老少、尊卑、貧富、自由人或奴隸，都在右手或額上接受印記。 17凡沒有蓋上怪獸印記的，就是沒有怪獸的名字或代號的，都不能做買賣。 18這裡藏有玄機，聰明的人可以計算那怪獸的代號，因為那是一個人的代號，是「六百六十六」。
The Beast Who Comes Out of the Sea
1The dragon stood on the seashore. I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. There were ten crowns on its horns. On each head was an evil name that brought shame to God. 2The beast I saw looked like a leopard. But it had feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. 3One of the beast’s heads seemed to have had a deadly wound. But the wound had been healed. The whole world was amazed and followed the beast. 4People worshiped the dragon, because he had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast. They asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against it?”
5The beast was given a mouth to brag and speak evil things against God. The beast was allowed to use its authority for 42 months. 6The beast opened its mouth to speak evil things against God. It told lies about God and about the place where God lives. And it told lies about those who live in heaven with him. 7The beast was allowed to make war against God’s holy people and to overcome them. It was given authority over every tribe, people and nation, no matter what language they spoke. 8Many people who live on the earth will worship the beast. They are the ones whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. The Lamb is the one whose death was planned before the world was created.
9Whoever has ears should listen.
10“Everyone who is supposed to be captured
will be captured.
Everyone who is supposed to be killed by a sword
will be killed by a sword.” (Jeremiah 15:2)
So God’s people must be patient and faithful.
The Beast Who Comes Out of the Earth
11Then I saw a second beast. This one came out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb. But it spoke like a dragon. 12This beast had all the authority of the first beast. It did what the first beast wanted. It made the earth and all who live on it worship the first beast. The first beast was the one whose deadly wound had been healed. 13The second beast performed great signs. It even made fire come from heaven to the earth. And the fire was seen by everyone. 14The first beast had given the second beast the power to perform these signs. By these signs, the second beast tricked those who live on the earth. The second beast ordered people to set up a statue to honor the first beast. The first beast was the one who had been wounded by a sword and still lived. 15The second beast was allowed to give breath to this statue so it could speak. The statue could kill all who refused to worship it. 16It also forced everyone to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. People great or small, rich or poor, free or slave had to receive the mark. 17They could not buy or sell anything unless they had the mark. The mark is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18This problem requires wisdom. Anyone who is wise should figure out what the beast’s number means. It is the number of a man. And that number is 666.
