1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And one of his heads was as if it had been wounded to death, and his wound of death was healed. And the whole world marveled after the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy, and authority was given to him to make war for forty-two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 8 And all those who dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose name is not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone has captivity, he goes away; if anyone is with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast before him, and he causes the earth and those who dwell in it, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he works great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth before men. 14 And he deceives my own people who dwell on the earth by the signs which were given to him to do before the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and came to life. 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 And he causes all, small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, that they should receive marks on their right hand, or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may be able to buy or sell except he that has the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man—his number is 666.