1 A beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns & ten diadems, 5 blasphemeth God, 7 and warreth against the Saints & destroyeth them. 11 And an other beast rising out of the earth with two horns, was altogether for the foresaid beast, constraining men to make and adore the image thereof, and to have the character of his name.1 A beast rising vp out of the sea, hauing seuen heades and ten hornes & ten diademes, 5 blasphemeth God, 7 and vvarreth against the Saincts & destroyeth them. 11 And an other beast rising out of the earth vvith tvvo hornes, vvas altogether for the foresaid beast, constraining men to make and adore the image thereof, and to haue the character of his name.✦
And I saw a beast coming up from the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns, & upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.AND I savv a beast comming vp from the sea, hauing seuen heades, and ten hornes, & vpon his hornes ten diademes, and vpon his heades names of blasphemie.¶✦Et vidi de mari bestiam ascendentem habentem capita septem, et cornua decem, et super cornua ejus decem diademata, et super capita ejus nomina blasphemiæ.
2And the beast which I saw, was like to a pardus: leopard, and his feet as of a bear, and his mouth, as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his own force and great power.And the beast vvhich I savv, vvas like to a libarde, and his feete as of a beare, and his mouth, as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gaue him his ovvne force and great povver.✦Et bestia, quam vidi, similis erat pardo, et pedes ejus sicut pedes ursi, et os ejus sicut os leonis. Et dedit illi draco virtutem suam, et potestatem magnam.
3And I saw one of his heads as it were slain to death: and the wound of his death was cured. And all the earth was in admiror: esteem, approval; wonder, amazement after the beast.And I savv one of his heades as it vvere slaine to death: and the vvound of his death vvas cured. And al the earth vvas in admiration after the beast.✦Et vidi unum de capitibus suis quasi occisum in mortem : et plaga mortis ejus curata est. Et admirata est universa terra post bestiam.
4And they adored the dragon which gave power to the beast: and they adored the beast, saying, Who is like to the beast? and who shall be able to fight with it?And they adored the dragon vvhich gaue povver to the beast: and they adored the beast, saying, Vvho is like to the beast? and vvho shal be able to fight vvith it?✦Et adoraverunt draconem, qui dedit potestatem bestiæ : et adoraverunt bestiam, dicentes : Quis similis bestiæ ? et quis poterit pugnare cum ea ?
5And there was given to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies: and power was given to it to work two and forty months.And there vvas giuen to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies: and povver vvas giuen to it to vvorke tvvo and fourtie monethes.✦Et datum est ei os loquens magna et blasphemias : et data est ei potestas facere menses quadraginta duos.
6And he opened his mouth unto blasphemies toward God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and those that dwell in heaven.And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemies tovvard God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and those that dvvel in heauen.✦Et aperuit os suum in blasphemias ad Deum, blasphemare nomen ejus, et tabernaculum ejus, et eos qui in cælo habitant.
7And it was given unto him to make battle with the saints, & to overcome them. And power was given him upon every tribe and people, and tongue, and nation,And it vvas giue vnto him to make battail vvith the sainctes, & to ouercome them. And povver vvas giuen him vpon euery tribe and people, and tongue, and nation,¶✦Et est datum illi bellum facere cum sanctis, et vincere eos. Et data est illi potestas in omnem tribum, et populum, et linguam, et gentem,
8and all that inhabit the earth, adored it, whose names be not written in the book of life of the Lamb, which was slain from the beginning of the world.and al that inhabite the earth, adored it, * vvhose names be not vvritten in the booke of life of the Lambe, vvhich vvas slaine from the beginning of the vvorld.✦et adoraverunt eam omnes, qui inhabitant terram : quorum non sunt scripta nomina in libro vitæ Agni, qui occisus est ab origine mundi.
9If any man have an ear, let him hear.If any man haue an eare, let him heare.✦Si quis habet aurem, audiat.
10He that shall lead into captivity, goeth into captivity: he that shall kill in the sword, he must be killed with the sword. here is the patience and the faith of saints.He that shal leade into captiuitie, goeth into captiuitie: * he that shal kil in the svvord, he must be killed vvith the svvord. here is the patience and the faith of sainctes.✦Qui in captivitatem duxerit, in captivitatem vadet : qui in gladio occiderit, oportet eum gladio occidi. Hic est patientia, et fides sanctorum.
11And I saw an other beast coming up from the earth: and he had two horns, like to a lamb, & he spake as a dragon.And I savv an other beast comming vp from the earth: and he had tvvo hornes, like to a lambe, & he spake as a dragon.✦Et vidi aliam bestiam ascendentem de terra, et habebat cornua duo similia Agni, et loquebatur sicut draco.
12And all the power of the former beast he did in his sight: and he made the earth and the inhabitants therein, to adore the first beast, whose wound of death was cured.And al the povver of the former beast he did in his sight: and he made the earth and the inhabitants therein, to adore the first beast, vvhose vvound of death vvas cured.✦Et potestatem prioris bestiæ omnem faciebat in conspectu ejus : et fecit terram, et habitantes in ea, adorare bestiam primam, cujus curata est plaga mortis.
13And he did many signs, so that he made also fire to come down from heaven unto the earth in the sight of men.And he did many signes, so that he made also fire to come dovvne from heauen vnto the earth in the sight of men.✦Et fecit signa magna, ut etiam ignem faceret de cælo descendere in terram in conspectu hominum.
14And he seduceth the inhabitants on the earth through the signs which were given him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make the image of the beast which hath the stroke of the sword, and lived.And he seduceth the inhabitants on the earth through the signes vvhich vvere giue him to doe in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dvvel on the earth, that they should make the image of the beast vvhich hath the stroke of the svvord, and liued.¶✦Et seduxit habitantes in terra propter signa, quæ data sunt illi facere in conspectu bestiæ, dicens habitantibus in terra, ut faciant imaginem bestiæ, quæ habet plagam gladii, et vixit.
15And it was given him to give spirit to the image of the beast, and that the image of the beast should speak: and should make, that whosoever shall not adore the image of the beast, be slain.And it vvas giuen him to giue spirit to the image of the beast, and that the image of the beast should speake: and should make, that vvhosoeuer shal not adore the image of the beast, be slaine.✦Et datum est illi ut daret spiritum imagini bestiæ, et ut loquatur imago bestiæ : et faciat ut quicumque non adoraverint imaginem bestiæ, occidantur.
16And he shall make all, little & great, and rich, and poor, and free-men, and bond-men, to have a character: a brand, a mark stamped on in their right hand, or in their foreheads.And he shal make al, litle & great, and rich, and poore, and free-men, and bond-men, to haue a character in their right hand, or in their foreheads.✦Et faciet omnes pusillos, et magnos, et divites, et pauperes, et liberos, et servos habere caracterem in dextera manu sua, aut in frontibus suis :
17and that no man may buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.and that no man may bie or sel, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.¶✦et ne quis possit emere, aut vendere, nisi qui habet caracterem, aut nomen bestiæ, aut numerum nominis ejus.
18Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: & the number of him is six hundred sixty six.Here is vvisdom. He that hath vnderstanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: & the number of him is sixe hundred sixtie sixe.¶✦Hic sapientia est. Qui habet intellectum, computet numerum bestiæ. Numerus enim hominis est : et numerus ejus sexcenti sexaginta sex.
Annotationsfrom the original 1582 Rheims New Testament
1A beast coming up. This beast is the universal company of the wicked, whose head is Antichrist: & the same is called (Apoc. 17.) the whore of Babylon. The 7 heads be expounded (Apoc. 17.) seven kings: five before Christ, one present, and one to come. The 10 horns be also there expounded to be 10 kings that shall reign a short while after Antichrist. This dragon is the Devil, by whose power the whore or beast or Antichrist worketh. for in the words following (v. 3 & 4.) Antichrist is called the beast, to whom the dragon, that is, the Devil giveth that power of feigned miracles. and as we adore God for giving power to Christ and his followers, so they shall adore the Devil for assisting Antichrist and giving him power.A beast coming up. This beast is the universal company of the wicked, whose head is Antichrist: & the same is called (Apoc. 17.) the whore of Babylon. The 7 heads be expounded (Apoc. 17.) seven kings: five before Christ, one present, and one to come. The 10 horns be also there expounded to be 10 kings that shall reign a short while after Antichrist. This dragon is the Devil, by whose power the whore or beast or Antichrist worketh. for in the words following (v. 3 & 4.) Antichrist is called the beast, to whom the dragon, that is, the Devil giveth that power of feigned miracles. and as we adore God for giving power to Christ and his followers, so they shall adore the Devil for assisting Antichrist and giving him power.
7To make battle with the saints. He shall kill the saints then living, Elias and Enoch, and infinite more that profess Christ, whereby we must learn, not to marvel when we see the wicked persecute and prevail against the just, in this life. Then shall his great persecution and cruelty try the saints' patience, as his wonderful means to seduce shall try the steadfastness of their faith, which is signified by these words following, Here is the patience and the faith of saints. And when it is said, They adored the beast, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, it giveth great solace and hope to all them that shall not yield to such persecutions, that they are of God's elect, and their names written in the book of life.To make battle with the saints. He shall kill the saints then living, Elias and Enoch, and infinite more that profess Christ, whereby we must learn, not to marvel when we see the wicked persecute and prevail against the just, in this life. Then shall his great persecution and cruelty try the saints' patience, as his wonderful means to seduce shall try the steadfastness of their faith, which is signified by these words following, Here is the patience and the faith of saints. And when it is said, They adored the beast, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, it giveth great solace and hope to all them that shall not yield to such persecutions, that they are of God's elect, and their names written in the book of life.
14The image of the beast. They that now refuse to worship Christ's image, would then worship Antichrist. And we may note here, that as the making or honouring of this image was not against the honour of Antichrist, but wholly for it, as also the image erected of Nabuchodonosor, and the worship thereof was altogether for the honour of him, so is the worship of Christ's image, the honour of Christ himself, and not against him, as Protestants madly imagine.The image of the beast. They that now refuse to worship Christ's image, would then worship Antichrist. And we may note here, that as the making or honouring of this image was not against the honour of Antichrist, but wholly for it, as also the image erected of Nabuchodonosor, and the worship thereof was altogether for the honour of him, so is the worship of Christ's image, the honour of Christ himself, and not against him, as Protestants madly imagine.
17The character or the name. As belike for the perverse imitation of Christ, whose image (specially as on the Rood or crucifix) he seeth honoured and exalted in every Church, he will have his image adored (for that is Antichrist, in emulation of like honour, adversary to Christ) so for that he seeth all true Christian men to bear the badge of his Cross in their foreheads, he likewise will force all his to have an other mark, to abolish the sign of Christ. By the like emulation also and wicked opposition he will have his name and the letters thereof to be sacred, and to be worn in men's caps, or written in solemn places, and to be worshipped, as the name of Jesus is and ought to be among Christian men. And as the ineffable name of God was among the Jews expressed by a certain number of 4 characters (therefore called Tetragrammaton) so it seemeth the Apostle alludeth here to the number of Antichrist's name. And here it is much to be noted, that the Protestants plucking down the image of Christ out of all Churches, & his sign of the cross from men's foreheads, and taking away the honour and reverence of the name Jesus, do make room for Antichrist's image, & mark, and name. And when Christ's images and ensigns or arms shall be abolished, and the Idol of Antichrist set up in steed thereof, as it is already begun: then is the abomination of desolation which was foretold by Daniel and our Saviour.The character or the name. As belike for the perverse imitation of Christ, whose image (specially as on the Rood or crucifix) he seeth honoured and exalted in every Church, he will have his image adored (for that is Antichrist, in emulation of like honour, adversary to Christ) so for that he seeth all true Christian men to bear the badge of his Cross in their foreheads, he likewise will force all his to have an other mark, to abolish the sign of Christ. By the like emulation also and wicked opposition he will have his name and the letters thereof to be sacred, and to be worn in men's caps, or written in solemn places, and to be worshipped, as the name of Jesus is and ought to be among Christian men. And as the ineffable name of God was among the Jews expressed by a certain number of 4 characters (therefore called Tetragrammaton) so it seemeth the Apostle alludeth here to the number of Antichrist's name. And here it is much to be noted, that the Protestants plucking down the image of Christ out of all Churches, & his sign of the cross from men's foreheads, and taking away the honour and reverence of the name Jesus, do make room for Antichrist's image, & mark, and name. And when Christ's images and ensigns or arms shall be abolished, and the Idol of Antichrist set up in steed thereof, as it is already begun: then is the abomination of desolation which was foretold by Daniel and our Saviour.
18Let him count. Though God would not have it manifest before hand to the world, who in particular this Antichrist should be: yet it pleased him to give such tokens of him, that when he cometh, the faithful may easily take notice of him, according as it is written of the event of other prophecies concerning our Saviour, That when it is come to pass, you may believe. In the mean time we must take heed that we judge not over rashly of God's secrets, the holy writ here signifying, that it is a point of high understanding, illuminated extraordinarily by God's spirit, to reckon right and decipher truly before hand, Antichrist's name and person.Let him count. Though God would not have it manifest before hand to the world, who in particular this Antichrist should be: yet it pleased him to give such tokens of him, that when he cometh, the faithful may easily take notice of him, according as it is written of the event of other prophecies concerning our Saviour, That when it is come to pass, you may believe. In the mean time we must take heed that we judge not over rashly of God's secrets, the holy writ here signifying, that it is a point of high understanding, illuminated extraordinarily by God's spirit, to reckon right and decipher truly before hand, Antichrist's name and person.
18It is the number of a man. A man he must be, and not a Devil or spirit, as here it is clear, and by S. Paul (2 Thess. 2.) where he is called, the man of sin. Again, he must be one particular person, & not a number, a succession, or whole order of any degree of men: because his proper name, and the particular number, and the characters thereof be (though obscurely) insinuated. Which reproveth the wicked vanity of Heretics, that would have Christ's own Vicars, the successors of his chief Apostle, yea the whole order of them for many ages together, to be this Antichrist. Who by his description here and in the said Epistle to the Thessalonians, must be one special man, and of a particular proper name, as our Lord Jesus is. And whosoever he be, these Protestants undoubtedly are his precursors for as they make his way by ridding away Christ's images, cross, and name, so they exceedingly promote the matter by taking away Christ's chief minister, that all may be plain for Antichrist. If the Pope had been Antichrist, and had been revealed now a good many years sithence, as these fellows say he is to them, then the number of this name would agree to him, and the prophecy being now fulfilled, it would evidently appear that he bare the name and number here noted. for (no doubt) when he cometh, this count of the letters or number of his name which before is so hard to know, will be easy. for he will set up his name in every place, even as we faithful men do now advance Jesus. And what name proper or appellative of all or any of the Popes do they find to agree with this number, notwithstanding they boast that they have found the whole order and every of them these thousand years to be Antichrist, and the rest before even from S. Peter, foreworkers toward his kingdom?It is the number of a man. A man he must be, and not a Devil or spirit, as here it is clear, and by S. Paul (2 Thess. 2.) where he is called, the man of sin. Again, he must be one particular person, & not a number, a succession, or whole order of any degree of men: because his proper name, and the particular number, and the characters thereof be (though obscurely) insinuated. Which reproveth the wicked vanity of Heretics, that would have Christ's own Vicars, the successors of his chief Apostle, yea the whole order of them for many ages together, to be this Antichrist. Who by his description here and in the said Epistle to the Thessalonians, must be one special man, and of a particular proper name, as our Lord Jesus is. And whosoever he be, these Protestants undoubtedly are his precursors for as they make his way by ridding away Christ's images, cross, and name, so they exceedingly promote the matter by taking away Christ's chief minister, that all may be plain for Antichrist. If the Pope had been Antichrist, and had been revealed now a good many years sithence, as these fellows say he is to them, then the number of this name would agree to him, and the prophecy being now fulfilled, it would evidently appear that he bare the name and number here noted. for (no doubt) when he cometh, this count of the letters or number of his name which before is so hard to know, will be easy. for he will set up his name in every place, even as we faithful men do now advance Jesus. And what name proper or appellative of all or any of the Popes do they find to agree with this number, notwithstanding they boast that they have found the whole order and every of them these thousand years to be Antichrist, and the rest before even from S. Peter, foreworkers toward his kingdom?
18The number 666. Forasmuch as the ancient expositors and other do think (for certain knowledge thereof no mortal man can have without an express revelation) that his name consisteth of so many, & such letters in Greek, as according to their manner of numbering by the Alphabet make 666, and forasmuch as the letters making that number, may be found in divers names both proper & common (as S. Irenaeus findeth them in Latinos and Teitan, Hippolytus in ἀρνοῦμαι, Aretas in Lampetis, & some of this age in Ludérus, which was Luther's name in the Aliman tongue) therefore we see there can be no certainty, and every one frameth and applieth the letters to his own purpose, and most absurd folly it is of the Heretics, to apply the word, Latinos, to the Pope: neither the whole order in common, nor ever any particular Pope being so called. and S. Irenaeus the first that observed it in that word, applied it to the Empire and state of the Roman Emperor, which then was Heathen, and not to the Pope of his days or after him: and yet preferred the word, Teitan, as more agreeable, with this admonition, that it were a very perilous and presumptuous thing to define any certainty before hand, of that number and name. And truly whatsoever the Protestants presume herein of the Pope, we may boldly discharge Luther of that dignity. He is undoubtedly one of Antichrist's precursors, but not Antichrist himself.The number 666. Forasmuch as the ancient expositors and other do think (for certain knowledge thereof no mortal man can have without an express revelation) that his name consisteth of so many, & such letters in Greek, as according to their manner of numbering by the Alphabet make 666, and forasmuch as the letters making that number, may be found in divers names both proper & common (as S. Irenaeus findeth them in Latinos and Teitan, Hippolytus in ἀρνοῦμαι, Aretas in Lampetis, & some of this age in Ludérus, which was Luther's name in the Aliman tongue) therefore we see there can be no certainty, and every one frameth and applieth the letters to his own purpose, and most absurd folly it is of the Heretics, to apply the word, Latinos, to the Pope: neither the whole order in common, nor ever any particular Pope being so called. and S. Irenaeus the first that observed it in that word, applied it to the Empire and state of the Roman Emperor, which then was Heathen, and not to the Pope of his days or after him: and yet preferred the word, Teitan, as more agreeable, with this admonition, that it were a very perilous and presumptuous thing to define any certainty before hand, of that number and name. And truly whatsoever the Protestants presume herein of the Pope, we may boldly discharge Luther of that dignity. He is undoubtedly one of Antichrist's precursors, but not Antichrist himself.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.