Revelation 13:1

The Two Beasts

13:1 Then ¹  I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It ²  had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, ³  and on its heads a blasphemous name. ⁴ 

Revelation 21:16

21:16 Now ⁵  the city is laid out as a square, ⁶  its length and width the same. He ⁷  measured the city with the measuring rod ⁸  at fourteen hundred miles ⁹  (its length and width and height are equal).

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¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

² tn Grk “having” (a continuation of the previous sentence). All of the pronouns referring to this beast (along with the second beast appearing in 13:11) could be translated as “it” because the word for beast (θηρίον, qhrion) is neuter gender in Greek and all the pronouns related to it are parsed as neuter in the Gramcord/Accordance database. Nevertheless, most interpreters would agree that the beast ultimately represents a human ruler, so beginning at the end of v. 4 the masculine pronouns (“he,” “him,” etc.) are used to refer to the first beast as well as the second beast appearing in 13:11.

³ tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.

sn Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.

⁴ tc ‡ Several mss (A 051 1611 1854 2053 2344 2351 Ï^K) read the plural ὀνόματα (onomata, “[blasphemous] names”), while the singular ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) has somewhat better support (Ì⁴⁷ א C 1006 1841 2329 Ï^A). The plural reading seems motivated by the fact that what is written is written “on its heads.” In the least, it is a clarifying reading. NA²⁷ puts the plural in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

sn Whether this means a single name on all seven heads or seven names, one on each head, is not clear.

⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the description of the city.

⁶ tn Or “the city lies square.” On κεῖμαι (keimai) in this context, BDAG 537 s.v. 2 states, “lie, of things…ἡ πόλις τετράγωνος κεῖται is laid out as a square Rv 21:16.”

⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁸ tn Grk “with the rod”; the word “measuring” is supplied from the description in v. 15.

⁹ tn Or “two thousand two hundred kilometers,” Grk “12,000 stades.” A stade was a measure of length about 607 ft (185 m).