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, 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. And 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?” 5The beast was given a mouth uttering great boasts and blasphemies. It was given authority to act for forty-two months. 6Then he opened his mouth with blasphemies against God, to slander His name and His tabernacle—that is, those dwelling 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, 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.
• Revelation 9:20But the rest of mankind, those not killed by these plagues, did not repent and turn away from the works of their hands—they would not stop worshiping demons and the idols of gold and silver and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
• Psalms 106:37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
• 1 Corinthians 10:20No, I’m saying that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God, and I don’t want you to become partners with demons.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so they might not see the light of the Good News of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of God.
• Revelation 13:12He exercises all the authority of the first beast before him, and he makes the earth and all those who dwell in it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
• Daniel 11:36“So the king will do as he pleases, exalting and magnifying himself above every god. He will even speak outrageous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decided will be done.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the Temple of God, proclaiming himself that he is God.
• Revelation 18:18and were crying out, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’
• Revelation 17:14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them—because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”
• Deuteronomy 9:2The people are great and tall, sons of the Anakim. You know them, and you yourselves have heard, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?”
• 1 Samuel 17:24Upon seeing him, all the men of Israel fled from him in great fear.

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