Revelation 13:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

NIV: The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.

NASB: A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.

CSB: The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

NLT: Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months.

KJV: And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

NKJV: And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.

This verse depicts the Antichrist—the beast from the sea (Revelation 13:1)—as boastful and blasphemous. This is hardly a new approach: like evil dictators before him, the beast glories in his accomplishments. He is smug, and his ego extends to the heavens.

King Nebuchadnezzar displayed this attitude. He vented his pride by constructing a huge golden image on the plain of Dura. At the dedication of the image, he decreed that music be played and at its sound every person must fall down and worship the image or be cast into a burning fiery furnace (Daniel 3:1–7). Another time, as he walked on the roof of his palace, he gloated, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:28–30).

While Nebuchadnezzar possessed overflowing pride at the beginning of the times of the Gentiles, the beast from the sea possesses overflowing pride at the end of the times of the Gentiles. The beast also commits blasphemy. He sees himself as God. Nevertheless, his reign will not last beyond three and a half years, according to this verse. Daniel 7:25 also notes that he is blasphemous but will reign for "a time, times, and half a time," which means one year, two years, and a half a year for three and a half in total.

Revelation 13:5–10 further describes the actions of the figure most commonly called ''Antichrist:'' the first beast of this chapter and the sixth of seven major characters in this part of Revelation. This beast from the sea is both an empire and a ferocious ruler. He is also mentioned in Daniel 7:23–24 and Revelation 17:9–11. Matthew 4:8 demonstrates the fact that the Devil possesses the kingdoms and therefore can grant the final world empire to the beast from the sea. Daniel 2:36–41 predicts the beast's kingdom.

This chapter exposes two evil men, ''beasts'' who serve the Devil. The first beast arises from the sea, presumably the Mediterranean. The second beast arises from the land, possibly Israel. The first beast dominates the final form of the Roman Empire and sets himself up as a god to be worshiped. This first figure is the one most often labelled as ''Antichrist.'' The second beast acts as prophet, priest, and king in Israel. As such, he imitates Christ, but he is a False Prophet. This corrupted religious leader sets up an image of the first beast in the temple and commands everyone to worship it. The false prophet executes those who refuse to worship the image. Further, he causes everyone to receive the name or the number of the first beast on the right hand or on the forehead. Without this identifying mark, no one can buy or sell. The number of the beast is 666.

Revelation 13 introduces the last two major figures described in this extended section. Two ''beasts,'' which are actually evil, powerful men, corrupt Israel by forcing idolatry on everyone. While not explicitly given these names in the Bible, the two men mentioned here are most often referred to as the Antichrist and the False Prophet. Later, The Lord sends the northern aggressor into Israel to punish their idolatry. This text also mentions two other infamous concepts: the mark of the beast, and the number 666, which are mentioned in later verses as identifying those who have rejected God in favor of Satan. Related Scriptures are Exodus 20:1–6; Daniel 2:31–43; 7:1–8; and Revelation chapters 9 and 12.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''