New Living Translation
Revelation 13:4
4They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”
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
2This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. 3I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?” 5Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. 6And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, 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 13:2This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.
- Revelation 9:20But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk!
- Psalms 106:37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
- Revelation 13:12He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
- Daniel 11:36“The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed, but only until the time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
- Revelation 18:18They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?”
- Revelation 17:14Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.”
- Deuteronomy 9:2The people are strong and tall—descendants of the famous Anakite giants. You’ve heard the saying, ‘Who can stand up to the Anakites?’
- 1 Samuel 17:24As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright.
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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