The Beast from the sea
1 Then I saw a beast rise out of the sea, and it had ten horns and seven heads. On each horn was a royal crown, and on each head was a slanderous name. 2 This beast was like a leopard with a bear’s paws and a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave this beast his power, his throne, and wide-ranging authority. 3 One of the beast’s heads appeared to have sustained a mortal wound but was healed. The whole earth was astounded at the beast, 4 and they worshiped the dragon for giving authority to it. They said, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight it?”
5 The beast was given a mouth with which to speak outrageous and slanderous things, and its authority would be for forty-two months. 6 It opened up its mouth to slander God and his name, and his sanctuary and all who live in heaven. 7 And it was allowed to do battle with the holy people and conquer them, as well as to have authority over all tribes, people groups, languages, and nations. 8 All the earth dwellers will worship it, whose names have not been written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who had been slaughtered from the establishment of the world.
9 Whoever has an ear had better listen! 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, they will be taken; if anyone is to be killed with the sword, they will be killed. Such is the endurance and faith of the holy people.
The Beast from the earth
11 Then I saw another beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon. 12 It wields all the authority of the first beast and makes all the earth dwellers worship it (the one that was healed of the fatal wound). 13 It does great miraculous signs, such as making fire fall from the sky to the earth in front of everyone. 14 And it misleads the earth dwellers through the signs it was given to do in the presence of the first beast.
It told them to make an image of the beast that had the fatal wound but lived. 15 It was allowed to give spirit to the image of the beast so that it could talk, and to put to death anyone who would refuse to worship the image. 16 It also forces everyone— small or great, rich or poor, free or slave— to accept an inscription on their right hand or forehead. 17 No one will be able to buy or sell without having the inscription of either the name or the number of the beast.
18 This takes wisdom; let the one with insight compute the number of the beast, because it is the number of a person. The number is six-hundred sixty-six.