Christian Standard Bible
Revelation 13:4
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?”
Revelation 13:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
- New International Version (NIV)People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)So 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?”
Context of Revelation 13:4
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. 3One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They 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?” 5The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6It began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme his name and his dwelling — those who dwell in heaven.
Read all of Revelation 13Revelation 13:4 word by word
καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ δράκοντι ὅτι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῷ θηρίῳ καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ θηρίῳ λέγοντες· τίς ὅμοιος τῷ θηρίῳ καὶ τίς δύναται πολεμῆσαι μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- they worshippedπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
- the dragonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
- unto the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- like untoὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
- is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- to make warπολεμέωpolemeō · to fightG4170
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Revelation 13:4
- Revelation 13:2The 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 9:20The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.
- Psalms 106:37They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons!
- 2 Corinthians 4:4In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- Revelation 13:12It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
- Daniel 11:36“Then the king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, because what has been decreed will be accomplished.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God.
- Revelation 18:18as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out, “Who was like the great city?”
- Revelation 17:14These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
- Deuteronomy 9:2The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them and you have heard it said about them, ‘Who can stand up to the sons of Anak? ’
- 1 Samuel 17:24When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.
Commentaries on Revelation 13:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And they worshipped the dragon - Worshipping the dragon here evidently means the voluntary religious subjection of the members of the Latin Church to the revived western empire, because of the eminent part it has taken in the support of their faith. And they worshipped the beast - Not only the dragon or revived western empire was worshipped; the beast, the whole Latin empire, is a partaker in the adoration. The manner in which it is worshipped consists in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast - See the notes at Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:2. That is, they in fact worshipped him. The word “worship” - ́ proskuneō- is not always, however, used in a religious sense. It means, properly, “to kiss”; to kiss toward anyone; that is, to kiss his own hand and to extend it toward a person, in token of respect and homage (Robinson, Lexicon). Compare Job 31:27. Then it means to show respect…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-10The first beast is the second member of the evil trinity (see study note on Revelation 12:18–13:18). It likely represents Roman power (see “Four World Empires” Theme Note).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. which gave--A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas read, "because he gave." power--Greek, "the authority" which it had; its authority. Who is like unto the beast?--The very language appropriated to God, Ex 15:11 (whence, in the Hebrew, the Maccabees took their name; the opponents of the Old Testament Antichrist, Antiochus); Psa 35:10; 71:19; 113:5; Mi 7:18; blasphemously (Re 13:1, 5) assigned to the beast. It is a parody of the name "Michael" (compare…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 13:4
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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