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

2Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but 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 to rule. 3One of the beast’s heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement; they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?” 5The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months. 6So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God – to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, 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

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 13:2Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but 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 to rule.
• Revelation 9:20The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk about.
• Psalms 106:37They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
• 1 Corinthians 10:20No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Revelation 13:12He exercised all the ruling authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed.
• Daniel 11:36“Then the king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God’s temple, displaying himself as God.
• Revelation 18:18and began to shout when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, “Who is like the great city?”
• Revelation 17:14They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”
• Deuteronomy 9:2They include the Anakites, a numerous and tall people whom you know about and of whom it is said, “Who is able to resist the Anakites?”
• 1 Samuel 17:24When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid.

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