Rev 13:1-8 | EE | STEP | Then I saw a wild animal that was coming up out of the sea. It had 10 horns and there was a crown on each horn. The animal also had 7 heads. On each head there was a bad name that insulted God.

Revelation of John 13:1-8

The wild animal from the sea

1 Then I saw a wild animal that was coming up out of the sea. It had 10 horns and there was a crown on each horn. The animal also had 7 heads. On each head there was a bad name that insulted God. 2 The wild animal that I saw was like a leopard. But its feet were like a bear’s feet and its mouth was like a lion‘s mouth. ^{▼▼13:2 A bear is a big, strong animal that has thick hair all over it. It moves more slowly than a leopard, but it also kills other animals.} The dragon gave his own power and great authority to the wild animal. The animal became king in the dragon’s place.

3 Someone had cut one of the wild animal’s heads badly. It seemed that it would die. But the animal’s head had become well again. This surprised all the people who were living on the earth. As a result, they were ready to obey what the wild animal said. 4 People worshipped the dragon because he had given his authority to the wild animal. They also worshipped the wild animal. They said, ‘Nobody is like this animal! Nobody is strong enough to fight against him!’

5 The wild animal received authority to hurt people for 42 months. It could say it had great power. It could also speak bad things against God. 6 So the wild animal began to insult God and to speak against God’s name. It spoke against the place where God lives, and against all the people who live there in heaven. 7 It received authority to fight a war against God’s own people. It received power to win against them. It received power over people from every family group, people from every country and people from every language. 8 Nearly all the people who live on the earth will worship the wild animal. But those people whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life will not worship it. ^{▼▼13:8 The Lamb’s book of life has the names of people who will live with God for ever. See Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5; 17:8; 20:12; 21:27.} The Lamb wrote the names of these believers in his book from the beginning of the world. He is the Lamb that people killed as a sacrifice. ^{▼▼13:8 The wild animal from the sea seems to be like a false Jesus Christ. People killed Jesus, but God caused him to become alive again. This wild animal makes people believe that it also became alive again after death. But it is the Devil (the dragon or great snake) who gives the wild animal authority.}