English Standard Version
Revelation 13:18
18This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
Revelation 13:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
- New International Version (NIV)This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.
Context of Revelation 13:18
16Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
Read all of Revelation 13Revelation 13:18 word by word
Ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν. ὁ ἔχων νοῦν ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου, ἀριθμὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπου ἐστίν, καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτοῦ ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Hereὧδεhōde · hereG5602
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- wisdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
- that hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- understandingνοῦςnous · mindG3563
- countψηφίζωpsēphizō · to calculateG5585
- the numberἀριθμόςarithmos · numberG706
- of the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- of a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Six hundred threescoreχξϛchi xi stigma · 666G5516
Cross-references for Revelation 13:18
- Revelation 1:3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
- Revelation 17:9This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;
- Psalms 107:43Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
- Daniel 12:10Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.
- Hosea 14:9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
- Mark 13:14"But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
- Revelation 15:2And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
- Revelation 21:17He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement.
- Deuteronomy 3:11(For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bed was a bed of iron. Is it not in Rabbah of the Ammonites? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth, according to the common cubit.)
- Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
Commentaries on Revelation 13:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six - In this verse we have the very name of the beast given under the symbol of the number 666. Before the invention of figures by the Arabs, in the tenth century, letters of the alphabet were used for numbers. The Greeks in the time of Homer, or soon after, are thought by some to have assigned to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Here is wisdom - That is, in what is stated respecting the name and the number of the name of the beast. The idea is, either that there would be need of special sagacity in determining what the “number” of the “beast” or of his “name” was, or that special “wisdom” was shown by the fact that the number could be thus expressed. The language used in the verse would lead the reader to suppose that the attempt to make out the “number” was not absolutely…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-18Verses 11-18 Those who understand the first beast to denote a worldly power, take the second to be also a persecuting and assumed power, which acts under the disguise of religion, and of charity to the souls of men. It is a spiritual dominion, professing to be derived from Christ, and exercised at first in a gentle manner, but soon spake like the dragon. Its speech betrayed it; for it gives forth those false doctrines and cruel decrees, which show it to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18a call for wisdom: John gives a clue to help his readers understand the meaning of the beast’s number. of a man: John hides the man’s identity, possibly to protect himself and his readers from danger (compare the use of Babylon as a symbol for Rome, Revelation 17:9). The number 666 represents supernatural evil (see “Symbolic Numbers” Theme Note). John might have used the transliteration Caesar Neron (a Hebrew spelling of the name) to reach the number 666…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. wisdom--the armory against the second beast, as patience and faith against the first. Spiritual wisdom is needed to solve the mystery of iniquity, so as not to be beguiled by it. count ... for--The "for" implies the possibility of our calculating or counting the beast's number. the number of a man--that is, counted as men generally count. So the phrase is used in Re 21:17. The number is the number of a man, not of God; he shall extol himself above the…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 13:18
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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