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Revelation 13:16

in Revelation 13

And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead;

KJV

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

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This verse in Revelation 13

Commentary

13 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark - To ascertain the meaning of the mark which the two-horned beast causes all orders and degrees of men in the Latin world to receive, we need only refer to Rev 14:11, where the mark imposed by the two-horned beast is called the mark of his name.

This site's exposition

to receive a mark

on Revelation 13:16-17

The mark is required of all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, so that no one could buy or sell. It answers the seal on the foreheads of God's servants in 7:3 and 14:1.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers4 voices

A commentator

Caesarius of Arles

EXPOSITION 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 …

A commentator

Primasius of Hadrumetum

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:14-16 · Written before 560.

proposed

"And he causes all … to be marked on the right hand or the forehead." He here distinguishes the individual members, although more often he includes them as a whole in the body or the person of the beast. The "hand" indicates works, and it …

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

And it says that the Antichrist also gives a mark and seal of his own name, without which no one will either buy or indeed sell.

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments · Written before 235.

proposed

Here the faith and the patience of the saints will appear, for he says: "And he will cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead; that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:14-17 · Written before 614.

proposed

And he will eagerly strive to place the mark of the ruinous name of the apostate upon everyone. He will make the mark upon their right hands to bring to an end the doing of good works, and upon their foreheads in order to teach …
6 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

To receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. The mark is the mystery of iniquity, which hypocrites receive in work and profession under the name of Christ.

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And he causes all, small and great, etc. Not all without exception, such as the Gentiles, but those who pertain to this mystery.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

proposed

The beast, when risen out of the sea, raged violently, till "his kingdom was darkened" by the fifth phial. But it was a kingdom still; and the beast having a kingdom, though darkened, was the beast still. But it was afterwards said, "the beast was," (was the beast, that is, reigned,) "and is not;" is not the beast; does not reign, having lost his kingdom.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Contrast God's seal and name in the foreheads of His servants, Re 7:3; 22:4; and Ga 6:17, "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus," that is, I am His soldier and servant. The mark in the right hand and forehead implies the prostration of bodily and intellectual powers to the beast's domination.
And he caused all - He claims jurisdiction, in the matters here referred to, over all classes of persons, and compels them to do his will. This is the second beast, and, according to the interpretation given above, it relates to the papal power, and to its claim of universal jurisdiction. Both small and great - All these expressions are designed to denote universality - referring to various divisions into which the human family may be regarded as divided. One of those divisions is into “small and great”; that is, into young and old; those small in stature and those large in stature; those of humble, and those of elevated rank. Rich and poor - Another way of dividing the human race, and denoting here, as in the former case, all - for it is a common method, in speaking of mankind, to describe them as “the rich and poor.” Free and bond - Another method still of dividing the human race, embracing all - for all the dwellers upon the earth are either free or bond. These various forms of expression, therefore, are designed merely to denote, in an emphatic manner, universality. The idea is, that, in the matter referred to, none were exempt, either on account of their exalted rank, or on account of their humble condition; either because they were so mighty as to be beyond control, or so mean and humble as to be beneath notice. And if this refers to the papacy, every one will see the propriety of the description. […]

The words behind it

35 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

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 the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.13 worksRevelation 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 the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.11 worksRevelation 7:3“Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God.”11 worksEzekiel 9:4“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”10 worksRevelation 14:9–11And a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand,9 worksDeuteronomy 6:8Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.9 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Revelation 19:18so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”8 worksRevelation 13:17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.8 worksDeuteronomy 11:18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.7 worksExodus 13:9It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.6 worksRevelation 6:15Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.5 worksRevelation 19:5Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!”5 worksPsalms 115:13He will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike.4 worksRevelation 20:12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.4 worksJob 34:19who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.4 worksActs 26:22But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:4 worksRevelation 15:2And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,3 worksEphesians 6:8because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.3 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Ezekiel 9:4

    “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”

    it leads to

    • Revelation 9:4

      They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Revelation 20:4

      Then 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…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 2 Corinthians 1:22

      placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.

    • Revelation 14:1

      Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

    • Revelation 7:2–3

      And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to…

  • Through

    Revelation 20:4

    Then 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.’

    • 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?

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
Revelation: the study guide →Read Revelation 13 →
This page draws on 12 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 (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:14-16.

Read on in Revelation 13 →