Christian Standard Bible
Revelation 13:2
2The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority.
Revelation 13:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
- New International Version (NIV)The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now 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.
Context of Revelation 13:2
1And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. 3One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 4They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it?”
Read all of Revelation 13Revelation 13:2 word by word
καὶ τὸ θηρίον ὃ εἶδον ἦν ὅμοιον παρδάλει καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὡς ἄρκου καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς στόμα λέοντος. καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ δράκων τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the beastὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- like untoὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
- a leopardπάρδαλιςpardalis · leopardG3917
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- feetπούςpous · footG4228
- were asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- of a bearἄρκτοςarktos · bearG715
- mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
- of a lionλέωνleōn · lionG3023
- the dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
- gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- seatθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
- greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
Cross-references for Revelation 13:2
- Jeremiah 5:6Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down. A wolf from arid plains will ravage them. A leopard stalks their cities. Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces because their rebellious acts are many, their unfaithful deeds numerous.
- Jeremiah 13:23Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil.
- Daniel 7:6“After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads, and it was given dominion.
- Hosea 13:7So I will be like a lion to them; I will lurk like a leopard on the path.
- Habakkuk 1:8Their horses are swifter than leopards and more fierce than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead; their horsemen come from distant lands. They fly like eagles, swooping to devour.
- 1 Samuel 17:34David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,
- 2 Kings 2:24He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the children.
- Proverbs 17:12Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness.
- Proverbs 28:15A wicked ruler over a helpless people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
- Daniel 7:4“The first was like a lion but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.
- Hosea 13:8I will attack them like a bear robbed of her cubs and tear open the rib cage over their hearts. I will devour them there like a lioness, like a wild beast that would rip them open.
- Amos 5:19It will be like a man who flees from a lion only to have a bear confront him. He goes home and rests his hand against the wall only to have a snake bite him.
- Psalms 22:21Save me from the lion’s mouth, from the horns of wild oxen. You answered me!
- Isaiah 5:29Their roaring is like a lion’s; they roar like young lions; they growl and seize their prey and carry it off, and no one can rescue it.
- Hosea 11:10They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
- Amos 3:12The Lord says: As the shepherd snatches two legs or a piece of an ear from the lion’s mouth, so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be rescued with only the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch.
Commentaries on Revelation 13:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard - This similitude of the beast to a leopard appears to be an allusion to the third beast of Daniel, which is well known to represent the empire of the Greeks. The Latin empire greatly resembled the modern empire of the Greeks; for that the power of the Greeks was still said to be like a leopard, even after its subjugation by the Romans, is evident from Daniel 7:12; : "As concerning the rest of the beasts…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard - For a description of the leopard, see the notes on Daniel 7:6. It is distinguished for bloodthirstiness and cruelty, and thus becomes an emblem of a fierce, tyrannical power. In its general character it resembles a lion and the lion and the leopard are often referred to together. In this description, it is observable that John has combined in one animal or monster, all those which Daniel brought…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Satan turns the beast into a false god by giving it his power, throne, and authority. In the first century, Roman emperors often claimed to be gods.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. leopard ... bear ... lion--This beast unites in itself the God-opposed characteristics of the three preceding kingdoms, resembling respectively the leopard, bear, and lion. It rises up out of the sea, as Daniel's four beasts, and has ten horns, as Daniel's fourth beast, and seven heads, as Daniel's four beasts had in all, namely, one on the first, one on the second, four on the third, and one on the fourth. Thus it represents comprehensively in one…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 13:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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