Rev 13:1 | CPDV | STEP | 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.

‏ Revelation of John 13:1

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. ^{▼▼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)
,} ^{▼▼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)
,} ^{▼▼13:1 A 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)}