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Revelation 13:5

in Revelation 13

The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months.

KJV

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

This verse in Revelation 13

Commentary

13 notes on this verse

A commentator

Primasius of Hadrumetum

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:5-6 · Written before 560.

With these months there is completed the three years and six months, which above were understood to refer to the quality of the present age. However, here the severity of the final persecution is especially foretold. For were one to consider the four familiar directions …

This site's exposition

The beast was given a mouth

on Revelation 13:5-6

The 42 months match the trampling of the holy city in 11:2 and the witnesses' 1,260 days in 11:3. The beast was given a mouth and was given authority, the passive verb marking a power God permits, as with the little horn of Daniel 7:25.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

He says that all have been defeated and fallen under his feet, and there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy. Was it given by someone? It was given by those deceived and having worshiped him; for to boast arrogantly is …

A commentator

Caesarius of Arles

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:5-6, HOMILY 10 · Written before 542.

proposed

The forty-two months are to be interpreted as the time of the last persecution. "It opened its mouth to blaspheme against God." It is clear that this refers to those who have left the catholic church, for while earlier they seemed to be within the …
And in like manner it is revealed to John; "For there was given to him," he says, "a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy; and there was given unto him authority and forty and two months." It is wonderful that both of these things occurred …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:5-6 · Written before 614.

proposed

With the allowance of God, it says, he will have authority for three and a half years to blaspheme against God and to harm the saints. The "dwelling of God" is the dwelling of the Word in the flesh, that is, his incarnation, as well …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. He exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped (2 Thessalonians II).
6 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And he was given authority to act for forty-two months, etc. For the first three and a half years, he does not openly blaspheme but acts in the mystery of iniquity, which, after the dissension and the revelation of the man of sin, will be …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And there was given unto him a mouth,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Christ had a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist might overcome their bodily strength, and take away their natural life, they could never conquer their souls, nor prevail with them to forsake their Saviour and revolt to his enemies.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

blasphemies--So ANDREAS reads. B reads "blasphemy." A, "blasphemous things" (compare Da 7:8; 11:25). power--"authority"; legitimate power (Greek, "exousia"). to continue--Greek, "poiesai," "to act," or "work." B reads, "to make war" (compare Re 13:4).

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things - That is, There was given to the rulers of the Latin empire, who are the mouth of the beast, (and particularly the Roman emperors of Germany), power to assume great and pompous titles, indicative of their mighty sway over many subjugated countries, (see the imperial instruments of the middle centuries in the Corps Diplomatique), and also to utter against their opponents the most terrible edicts. And blasphemies - The system of worship supported by the beast is a system of blasphemy, as there will be occasion to show presently. And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months - As these forty-two months are prophetic, they must mean so many years as there are days contained in them; viz., 1260, each month containing 30 days. The beast, therefore, will continue in existence at least 1260 years; but when the termination of this period will take place is difficult to say, as the beginning cannot be at present indubitably ascertained.
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things - John does not say by whom this was given; but we may suppose that it was by the “dragon,” who is said Rev 13:2 to have given him his power, and seat, and authority. The fulfillment of this is found in the claims set up by the princes and rulers here referred to - that mighty secular power that sustained the papacy, and that was, in some sort, a part of the papacy itself.

The words behind it

17 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.

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

    Daniel 7:25

    He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 12:14

      But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times,…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 2 Thessalonians 2:4

      He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Daniel 12:7

      And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever,…

    • Revelation 13:5–11

      The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.

    • Revelation 12:6

      And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.

  • Through

    Daniel 11:36

    Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 13:5–6

      The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Revelation 12:6

    And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 11:2–3

      But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

  • Through

    Daniel 7:11

    Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.

    it leads to

    • 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…

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Transfiguration, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
The Transfiguration, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
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 13:5-6; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:5-6, HOMILY 10; Dionysius of Alexandria, Epistle to Hermammon (preserved in Eusebius, Church History 7.10); 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 Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:5-6.