Revelation 13:15
in Revelation 13The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
KJV
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
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This verse in Revelation 13
Commentary
13 notes on this verseFor this is what is meant by the prophet when he says, "He will give life unto the image, and the image of the beast will speak." For he will act with vigour again, and prove strong by reason of the laws established by him; and he will cause all those who will not worship the image of the beast to be put to death.
This site's exposition
give breath to the image
The image receives breath and speaks, claiming the gift of life God gives in Genesis 2:7 and the worship reserved to him in Exodus 20:3-5. Refusal means death here, and verse 17 adds exclusion from buying and selling.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:14-16 · Written before 560.
proposed
Therefore, he is said "to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast should even speak." This may be interpreted in two ways. Either the whole body of evil persons are persuaded by the demonstrations of power, since …
And it says it was given to him to give breath to the image. For they say that many of the idols both sweat and seem to speak by diabolical power.
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:15-16, HOMILY 11 · Written before 542.
proposed
"That he give them a mark on the right hand or on the forehead." He speaks of the mystery of deception. For the saints who are in the church receive Christ in the hand and on the forehead. The hypocrites, however, receive the beast under …
The Medieval Church2 voices
And it was granted to him to give spirit to the image of the beast. That is, to the people who fulfill this falsehood by constituting themselves as the image of the beast, he pretends to give the spirit of truth.
And that the image of the beast should speak. He will not only deceive the miserable populace with a simulated spirit through fire, but he will also make them capable of teaching others.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
And cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Not that image which they say they are making, but that image to which they make the people similar. He thus makes the image of the beast worship …
[The beast] deceives those who continually dwell upon the earth in their hearts. For those who possess their citizenship in heaven are not deceived by fake appearances, since they have been sufficiently fortified by the prediction of his coming.… It is reported that demons often …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast - That is, that image of the beast would be naturally powerless, or would have no life in itself. The second beast, however, had power to impart life to it, so that it would be invested with authority, and would exercise that authority in the manner specified.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he had power--Greek, "it was given to him." to give life--Greek, "breath," or "spirit." image--Nebuchadnezzar set up in Dura a golden image to be worshipped, probably of himself; for his dream had been interpreted, "Thou art this head of gold"; the three Hebrews who refused to worship the image were east into a burning furnace.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed - I would just observe that the Brahmins, by repeating incantations, profess to give eyes and a soul to an image recently made, before it is worshipped; afterwards, being supposed to be the residence of the god or goddess it represents, it has a legal right to worship. On this verse the learned bishop observes: “The influence of the two-horned beast, or corrupted clergy, is farther seen in persuading and inducing mankind to make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword, and did live. This image and representative of the beast is the pope. He is properly the idol of the Church. He represents in himself the whole power of the beast, and is the head of all authority, temporal as well as spiritual. He is nothing more than a private person, without power and without authority, till the two-horned beast or corrupted clergy, by choosing him pope, give life unto him, and enable him to speak and utter his decrees, and to persecute even to death as many as refuse to submit to him and to worship him. As soon as he is chosen pope he is clothed with the pontifical robes, and crowned and placed upon the altar, and the cardinals come and kiss his feet, which ceremony is called adoration. […]
The words behind it
28 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐδόθη | edothe | there was given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| δοῦναι | dounai | to give | G1325 → | 412 times |
| πνεῦμα | pneuma | breath | G4151 → | 378 times |
| τῇ | tea | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰκόνι | eikoni | image | G1504 → | 23 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θηρίου | theriou | beast | G2342 → | 46 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| λαλήσῃ | lalese | may speak | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰκὼν | eikon | image | G1504 → | 23 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θηρίου, | theriou | beast, | G2342 → | 46 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ποιήσῃ, | poiese | may cause | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ὅσοι | hosoi | as many as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | might | G1437 → | 352 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| προσκυνήσωσιν | proskunesosin | shall worship | G4352 → | 60 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰκόνι | eikoni | image | G1504 → | 23 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θηρίου | theriou | beast | G2342 → | 46 times |
| ἀποκτανθῶσιν. | apoktanthosin | shall be killed. | G615 → | 74 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐδόθηthere was given
edotheG1325 →412 times
αὐτῷto it
autoG846 →5565 times
δοῦναιto give
dounaiG1325 →412 times
πνεῦμαbreath
pneumaG4151 →378 times
τῇto the
teaG3588 →19766 times
εἰκόνιimage
eikoniG1504 →23 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
θηρίουbeast
theriouG2342 →46 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
λαλήσῃmay speak
laleseG2980 →294 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
εἰκὼνimage
eikonG1504 →23 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
θηρίου,beast,
theriouG2342 →46 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ποιήσῃ,may cause
poieseG4160 →569 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
ὅσοιas many as
hosoiG3745 →110 times
ἐὰνmight
eanG1437 →352 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
προσκυνήσωσινshall worship
proskunesosinG4352 →60 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
εἰκόνιimage
eikoniG1504 →23 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
θηρίουbeast
theriouG2342 →46 times
ἀποκτανθῶσιν.shall be killed.
apoktanthosinG615 →74 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 20:4Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for…
it leads to
- Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…
- Daniel 7:18
But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
- Matthew 19:28
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve…
- 1 Corinthians 6:2–3
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
- 2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;
- Daniel 7:27
Through
Revelation 19:20But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and…
it leads to
- Revelation 20:10
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day…
- Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8–11
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.
- Revelation 20:10
Where this verse is studied
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About Revelation

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:14-17; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:15-16, HOMILY 11; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:14-16.
