Revelation 13:4

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

2And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne, and great authority. 3I saw one of his heads as if it had been fatally wounded, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” 5A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

Revelation 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

• they worshipedπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• his authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• to the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• is likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• to wageπολεμέωpolemeō · to fightG4170

Cross-references for Revelation 13:4

• Revelation 13:2And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne, and great authority.
• Revelation 9:20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands so as not to worship demons and the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;
• Psalms 106:37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
• 1 Corinthians 10:20No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Revelation 13:12He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who live on it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
• Daniel 11:36“Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and boast against every god and will speak dreadful things against the God of gods; and he will be successful until the indignation is finished, because that which is determined will be done.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
• Revelation 18:18and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’
• Revelation 17:14These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”
• Deuteronomy 9:2a people who are great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand against the sons of Anak?’
• 1 Samuel 17:24When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very fearful.

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

• Demons
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Authority in Religion
• Dragon
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Literature, Sub-Apostolic
• Nero
• Print; Printing; Printed
• Revelation of John
• Alpha

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