1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names. 2The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. 4They worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
5A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. 6He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven. 7It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. 8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
11I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. 14He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. 15It was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands or on their foreheads; 17and that no one would be able to buy or to sell unless he has that mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
Various translations either have John standing on the shore looking out at the sea or have the dragon there. Also, some see it as the last sentence of the previous paragraph and others as the first sentence of the following paragraph. The Greek text is not clear as to which paragraph the statement belongs. However, it does not change the meaning of anything in either chapter.
What John now sees is a beast arising out of the sea. In prophetic literature, the sea usually represents the Gentile nations and the chaos of the world. So, this “beast” has its origin in a Gentile nation, not Israel. The description of heads, horns, and crowns intentionally mirrors those of the Dragon, Satan. This indicates that the “beast” is closely linked to Satan and gets its power and authority from him.
The description of the beast reflects three of the four beasts of Daniel’s vision (Dan 7). The three things the dragon gives this beast (power, throne, authority) are what Satan offered Jesus during the three temptations (Matt 4).
The wound on one head is not fatal, but it only looked fatal. Its “recovery” deceives the world into marveling at it. This likely indicates that the Antichrist will receive what the world will mistake for a fatal wound. This deception moves the unbelieving world to not only marvel, but to worship both Satan and “the beast.”
Of note is the final statement by the people, “Who can make war with him?” This refers back to the white horse rider who conquered the world. This indicates that worship of the beast will include an element of fear.