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Revelation 13:11

in Revelation 13

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

KJV

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This verse in Revelation 13

Commentary

14 notes on this verse

A commentator

Irenaeus

Against Heresies Book V · Written before 202.

After this he likewise describes his armour-bearer, whom he also terms a false prophet: "He spake as a dragon, and exercised all the power of the first beast in his sight, and caused the earth, and those that dwell therein, to adore the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he shall perform great wonders, so that he can even cause fire to descend from heaven upon the earth in the sight of men, and he shall lead the inhabitants of the earth astray."

This site's exposition

two horns like a lamb

This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. It is named the false prophet in 16:13, 19:20 and 20:10, and in verse 12 it directs worship to the first beast.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers4 voices

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments · Written before 235.

proposed

But as it is incumbent on us to discuss this matter of the beast more exactly, and in particular the question how the Holy Spirit has also mystically indicated his name by means of a number, we shall proceed to state more clearly what bears upon him. John then speaks thus: "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns, like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exercised all the power of the first beast before him; and he made the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he did great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live. 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. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for if is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six." By the beast, then, coming up out of the earth, he means the kingdom of Antichrist; and by the two horns he means him and the false prophet after him. And in speaking of "the horns being like a lamb," he means that he will make himself like the Son of God, and set himself forward as king. And the terms, "he spake like a dragon," mean that he is a deceiver, and not truthful.
"And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth." He is speaking of the great and false prophet who is to do signs, and portents, and falsehoods before him in the presence of men. "And he had two horns like a lamb-that is, the appearance within of a man-and he spoke like a dragon." But the devil speaks full of malice; for he shall do these things in the presence of men, so that even the dead appear to rise again.

A commentator

Ticonius

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:11 · Written before 390.

proposed

It has two horns that are like those of a lamb. These are the two Testaments that belong to the true Lamb but that the beast tried to usurp for himself by feigning to be a lamb. Nevertheless, it is said to speak like a …

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

Having made many digressions and having returned from the later principles to the earlier principles, he arrived at the matter under discussion. And that was to narrate to us the things concerning the wicked and God-hated Antichrist. This one therefore is now set forth in …

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:11 · Written before 614.

proposed

Some say that this beast is the antichrist, while to others its two horns signify the antichrist and the false prophet. But since also the false prophet is thought to come in his own person, it is proper to think that the dragon is to …
7 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He said another in office, yet it is one. What is the sea is also the earth, according to Daniel. To whom, seeing the four beasts rise from the sea, the angel says: These …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. He presents the horns of a lamb to secretly insert the poison of the dragon. Because, through the hypocrisy of holiness, he falsely claims to have the unique wisdom and life that …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

3 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. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture

And I beheld another beast,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

As the first beast was like the Lamb in being, as it were, wounded to death, so the second is like the Lamb in having two lamb-like horns (its essential difference from the Lamb is marked by its having TWO, but the Lamb SEVEN horns, Re 5:6). The former paganism of the world power, seeming to be wounded to death by Christianity, revives.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth - As a beast has already been shown to be the symbol of a kingdom or empire, the rising up of this second beast must consequently represent the rising up of another empire. This beast comes up out of the earth; therefore it is totally different from the preceding, which rose up out of the sea. Earth here means the Latin world, for this word has been shown to import this already in several instances; the rising up of the beast out of this earth must, consequently, represent the springing up of some power out of a state of subjection to the Latin empire: therefore the beast, here called another beast, is another Latin empire. This beast is the spiritual Latin empire, or, in other words, the Romish hierarchy; for with no other power can the prophetic description yet to be examined be shown to accord. In the time of Charlemagne the ecclesiastical power was in subjection to the civil, and it continued to be so for a long time after his death; therefore the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, ruled over the whole Latin world, both clergy and laity; these, consequently, constituted but one beast or empire. But the Latin clergy kept continually gaining more and more influence in the civil affairs of the empire, and in the tenth century their authority was greatly increased. In the subsequent centuries the power of the Romish hierarchy ascended even above that of the emperors, and led into captivity the kings of the whole Latin world, as there will be occasion to show in commenting upon the following verses. Thus the Romish hierarchy was at length entirely exempted from the civil power, and constituted another beast, as it became entirely independent of the secular Latin empire. […]
And I beheld another beast - Compare the notes on Rev 13:1. This was so distinct from the first that its characteristics could be described, though, as shown in the Analysis of the Chapter, there was in many points a strong resemblance between them. The relations between the two will be more fully indicated in the notes. Coming up out of the earth - Prof.

The words behind it

18 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

    Matthew 7:15

    Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

    it leads to

    • 1 John 4:1

      Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

    • 2 Peter 2:1–3

      Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…

    • Matthew 24:11

      and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.

    • Acts 20:29–31

      I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

    • Mark 13:22–23

      For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

  • Through

    Revelation 17:6

    I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 16:6

      For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”

    • Revelation 13:15

      The 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.

  • Through

    Daniel 7:8

    While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a…

    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.

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.
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 13:11; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book V; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13:11 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.