Revelation 13:2

Revelation 13:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
• New International Version (NIV)The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

Context of Revelation 13:2

1Then I saw a beast rising out of the sea, that had ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten royal crowns, and upon his heads were slanderous names. Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, his feet like a bear’s, and his mouth like a lion’s. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3One of his heads seemed to have been slain, but the fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 4And they worshiped the dragon, because he had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast, chanting, “Who is like the beast, and who can make war against him?”

Revelation 13:2 word by word

καὶ τὸ θηρίον ὃ εἶδον ἦν ὅμοιον παρδάλει καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὡς ἄρκου καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς στόμα λέοντος. καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ δράκων τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the beastὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• like untoὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• a leopardπάρδαλιςpardalis · leopardG3917
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• feetπούςpous · footG4228
• were asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• of a bearἄρκτοςarktos · bearG715
• mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• of a lionλέωνleōn · lionG3023
• the dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• seatθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849

Cross-references for Revelation 13:2

• Jeremiah 5:6Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them. A desert wolf will ravage them. A leopard watches over their cities. Everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces, For their rebellion is great, their backslidings frequent.
• Jeremiah 13:23Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Or the leopard his spots? So, could you do good, that are accustomed to doing evil?
• Daniel 7:6“After that I looked, and behold, there was another one like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
• Hosea 13:7So I became like a lion to them— like a leopard lying in wait by the way.
• Habakkuk 1:8Its horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Its horsemen come galloping. Its horsemen are coming from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to eat.
• 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb out of the flock,
• 2 Kings 2:24So he turned around and looked at them and cursed them in the Name of Adonai. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the boys.
• Proverbs 17:12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to deal with a fool in his folly.
• Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a prowling bear is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
• Daniel 7:4“The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand upon two feet like a man, and the heart of a human was given to it.
• Hosea 13:8I will meet them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lioness. A beast of the field will rip them to shreds.
• Amos 5:19It will be as when a man is fleeing from a lion—and meets a bear! Or he comes home, leans his hand on the wall, and a snake bites him!
• Psalms 22:21Deliver my soul from the sword— my only one from the power of the dog.
• Isaiah 5:29Their roaring will be like a lion. They will growl like young lions— yes, they will roar, seize their prey and carry it away safely— and there will be none to rescue.
• Hosea 11:10They will walk after Adonai. He will roar like a lion. Indeed, He will roar and the children will come trembling from the west.
• Amos 3:12Thus says Adonai: “Just as the shepherd snatches out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so will Bnei-Yisrael dwelling in Samaria escape with the corner of a bed or a head of a couch.

Commentaries on Revelation 13:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard - This similitude of the beast to a leopard appears to be an allusion to the third beast of Daniel, which is well known to represent the empire of the Greeks. The Latin empire greatly resembled the modern empire of the Greeks; for that the power of the Greeks was still said to be like a leopard, even after its subjugation by the Romans, is evident from Daniel 7:12; : "As concerning the rest of the beasts…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard - For a description of the leopard, see the notes on Daniel 7:6. It is distinguished for bloodthirstiness and cruelty, and thus becomes an emblem of a fierce, tyrannical power. In its general character it resembles a lion and the lion and the leopard are often referred to together. In this description, it is observable that John has combined in one animal or monster, all those which Daniel brought…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Satan turns the beast into a false god by giving it his power, throne, and authority. In the first century, Roman emperors often claimed to be gods.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. leopard ... bear ... lion--This beast unites in itself the God-opposed characteristics of the three preceding kingdoms, resembling respectively the leopard, bear, and lion. It rises up out of the sea, as Daniel's four beasts, and has ten horns, as Daniel's fourth beast, and seven heads, as Daniel's four beasts had in all, namely, one on the first, one on the second, four on the third, and one on the fourth. Thus it represents comprehensively in one…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 13:2

• Lion
• Vision

In the dictionaries

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

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