Revelation 13:1-6
The Beast from the Sea
1 And the (a)dragon (Satan) stood on the sandy shore of the sea.(A)
Then I saw a [vicious] beast coming up out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten royal (b)crowns (diadems), and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast that I saw resembled a (c)leopard, but his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3 I saw one of his heads which seemed to have a fatal wound, but his fatal wound was healed; and the entire earth followed after the beast in amazement. 4 They fell down and worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like (as great as) the beast, and who is able to wage war against him?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth (the power of speech), uttering great things and arrogant and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom and authority to act and to do as he pleased for (d)forty-two months (three and a half years).(B) 6 And he opened his mouth to speak blasphemies (abusive speech, slander) against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who live in heaven.
Then I saw a [vicious] beast coming up out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten royal (b)crowns (diadems), and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast that I saw resembled a (c)leopard, but his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3 I saw one of his heads which seemed to have a fatal wound, but his fatal wound was healed; and the entire earth followed after the beast in amazement. 4 They fell down and worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like (as great as) the beast, and who is able to wage war against him?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth (the power of speech), uttering great things and arrogant and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom and authority to act and to do as he pleased for (d)forty-two months (three and a half years).(B) 6 And he opened his mouth to speak blasphemies (abusive speech, slander) against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who live in heaven.
Footnotes:
a.
Revelation 13:1: The dragon, who is Satan, stands at the head of an unholy, idolatrous trinity, comprised also of the first beast, who is the Antichrist (vv 1-10) and has a healed wound, and the second beast, who is the false prophet and deceives unbelievers to worship Antichrist through false signs (vv 11-18).
b.
Revelation 13:1: The symbol of political, royal, or military power.
c.
Revelation 13:2: These animals are mentioned in Dan 7:4-6, where the leopard represents Greece, the bear Medo-Persia, and the lion Babylon.
d.
Revelation 13:5: The last half of the Tribulation.