Revelation 13:3
in Revelation 13One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast;
KJV
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
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This verse in Revelation 13
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I saw one of his heads, as it were wounded to death - The phrase “wounded to death” means properly that it received a mortal wound, that is, the wound would have been mortal if it had not been healed. A blow was struck that would be naturally fatal, but there was something that prevented the fatal result. John does not say, however, by whom the wound was inflicted, nor does he describe further the nature of the wound. He says that “one of the heads” - that is, one of the seven heads - was thus wounded.
This site's exposition
appeared to be mortally wounded
Here the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast. The healing imitates the Lamb slain and living in 5:6, and the world's wonder turns to worship in verse 4.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
One of its heads refers to the antichrist, because there are seven heads not in regard to number but as a sign of the universality of that earthly kingdom that is hostile to the Lamb. It is evident that the dragon, that is, the devil, …
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:3-4, HOMILY 10 · Written before 542.
proposed
That which "seemed wounded" are the heretics who hypocritically seem to confess Christ and blaspheme since they do not believe as the catholic faith has it. They prophesy that he who was wounded is also raised again, for even Satan himself transfigures himself into an …
And I see, he says, one of his heads as if it were wounded unto death; and his deadly wound was healed. This meaning might have been known to the Spirit-bearing evangelist himself; but as it appears to me, he indicates something of this sort: …
The Medieval Church2 voices
And I saw one of its heads as if it had been mortally wounded, etc. The Antichrist, pertaining to the heads of the earthly kingdom, in imitation of our true head, dares to present himself as if he were mortally wounded and had resurrected, to …
And the whole earth marveled and followed the beast. He uses the genus for the species, saying that the beast is worshiped, when it is the false head, under the name of the truly slain and living head, that earthly men are to worship.
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
That he had a head that was wounded indicates that one of his lieutenants, having been put to death, deceptively seems to be raised again by him through his sorcery, in a way similar to Simon the magician, who, in light of his magic tricks, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And I saw one of his heads,....
Thus the malice of the devil shows itself against heaven and the blessed inhabitants of heaven. These are above the reach of his power. All he can do is to blaspheme them; but the saints on earth are more exposed to his cruelty, and he sometimes is permitted to triumph over them and trample upon them.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The first six heads were heathenish, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome; the new seventh world power (the pagan German hordes pouring down on Christianized Rome), whereby Satan had hoped to stifle Christianity (Re 11:15, 16), became itself Christianized (answering to the beast's, as it were, deadly wound: it was slain, and it is not, Re 17:11).
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death - This is the second and last place where the heads of the beast are mentioned with any description; and therefore the meaning here must be forms of government, as these were noticed last in the angel’s double explanation. The head that was wounded to death can be no other than the seventh draconic head, which was the sixth head of the beast, viz., the imperial power; for “this head,” as Bishop Newton observes, “was, as it were, wounded to death when the Roman empire was overturned by the northern nations, and an end was put to the very name of emperor in Momyllus Augustulus.” It was so wounded that it was wholly improbable that it could ever rise again to considerable power, for the western empire came into the possession of several barbarous nations of independent interests. And his deadly wound was healed - This was effected by Charlemagne, who with his successors assumed all the marks of the ancient emperors of the west, with the titles of Semper Augustus, Sacred Majesty, First Prince of the Christian World, Temporal Chief of the Christian People, and Rector or Temporal Chief of the Faithful in Germany; Mod. Universal History, vol. xxxii., p. 79. But it is said in Rev 13:2 that the dragon gave the beast his power, δυναμιν, his armies or military strength; i.e., he employed all his imperial power in defense of the Latin empire, which supported the Latin Church. He also gave his seat, θρονον, literally his throne, to him: that is, his whole empire formed an integral part of the Latin empire, by its conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. He also gave him great authority. […]
The words behind it
25 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 |
| μίαν | mian | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κεφαλῶν | kephalon | heads | G2776 → | 75 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | [was] as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἐσφαγμένην | esphagmenen | slain | G4969 → | 10 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| θάνατον, | thanaton | death, | G2288 → | 120 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πληγὴ | plege | wound | G4127 → | 22 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θανάτου | thanatou | of death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐθεραπεύθη, | etherapeuthe | was healed, | G2323 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐθαυμάσθη | ethaumasthe | marveled | G2296 → | 43 times |
| ὅλη | hole | all | G3650 → | 109 times |
| ἡ | he | [on] the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆ | ge | earth | G1093 → | 248 times |
| ὀπίσω | opiso | after | G3694 → | 35 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θηρίου. | theriou | beast. | G2342 → | 46 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μίανone
mianG1520 →343 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κεφαλῶνheads
kephalonG2776 →75 times
αὐτοῦof it
autouG846 →5565 times
ὡς[was] as
hosG5613 →500 times
ἐσφαγμένηνslain
esphagmenenG4969 →10 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
θάνατον,death,
thanatonG2288 →120 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
πληγὴwound
plegeG4127 →22 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
θανάτουof death
thanatouG2288 →120 times
αὐτοῦof it
autouG846 →5565 times
ἐθεραπεύθη,was healed,
etherapeutheG2323 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐθαυμάσθηmarveled
ethaumastheG2296 →43 times
ὅληall
holeG3650 →109 times
ἡ[on] the
heG3588 →19766 times
γῆearth
geG1093 →248 times
ὀπίσωafter
opisoG3694 →35 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
θηρίου.beast.
theriouG2342 →46 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 17:8The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose…
it leads to
- Revelation 11:7
When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them.
- Revelation 17:11
The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction.
- Revelation 11:7
Through
Revelation 17:17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
- Revelation 10:7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as He proclaimed to His servants the…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
Through
Revelation 13:14Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had…
it leads to
- Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
- Revelation 19:20
But 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…
- Revelation 13:8
And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was…
- Revelation 12:9
Through
Revelation 17:13These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
it leads to
- Revelation 17:17
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
- Revelation 17:17
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 13:3-4; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:3-4, HOMILY 10; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:3.