Revelation 13:6
in Revelation 13And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
KJV
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
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This verse in Revelation 13
Commentary
11 notes on this verseWith 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, the passive verb marking a power God permits, as with the little horn of Daniel 7:25.
This site's exposition
slander His name and His tabernacle
The Berean text sets His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven side by side as one thing. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that two old manuscripts omit the word and, so the dwellers are the tabernacle. They include believers on earth whose citizenship is in heaven.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION 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 …
He says, and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. It is said that the blasphemies against God are of the apostate. By the tabernacle of God he means the holy …
The Medieval Church2 voices
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 …
To blaspheme His name and His tabernacle. The wicked one, usurping for himself the dignity of God's name, will also presume to call his own church by that name.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,.... By sitting as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God; by suffering himself to be called by the name of God, God on earth, Lord God the pope, and to be worshipped as God; and by assuming infallibility, giving out that he cannot err, which only belongs to the God of truth; and by his idolatrous practices commanded by him, as the worshipping of idols of gold, silver, wood, and stone, which is in Scripture called blaspheming God, Isa 65:7; see Dan 11:
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
A and C omit "and": "them that dwell (literally, 'tabernacle') in heaven," mean not only angels and the departed souls of the righteous, but believers on earth who have their citizenship in heaven, and whose true life is hidden from the Antichristian persecutor in the secret of God's tabernacle.
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name - The Latin empire is here represented as a blasphemous power in three respects. First, he blasphemes the name of God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name - By his own arrogant claims; by his assumed authority in matters of conscience; by setting aside the divine authority; and by impious declarations in derogation of the divine claims. See the notes on Rev 13:1. And his tabernacle - Literally, his “tent” - σκηνὴν skēnēn. This is the word which is commonly applied to the sacred tent or tabernacle among the Hebrews, in which the ark was kept, and which was the seat of the Jewish worship before the building of the temple. It is thus used to denote a place of worship, considered as the dwelling-place of God, and is in this sense applied to heaven, Heb 8:2; Heb 9:11; Rev 15:5. It seems to be used here in a general sense to denote the place where God was worshipped; and the meaning is, that there would be a course of conduct in regard to the true church - the dwelling-place of God on the earth - which could properly be regarded as blasphemy. Let anyone remember the anathemas and excommunications uttered against the Waldenses and Albigenses, and those of kindred spirit that appeared in the long period of the papal rule, and he will find no difficulty in perceiving a complete fulfillment of all that is here said. And them that dwell in heaven - The true worshippers; the members of the true church, represented as dwelling in this holy tabernacle. No one acquainted with the reproaches cast on the devoted and sincere followers of the Saviour during the dark periods of the papal rule can fail to see that there was in that a complete fulfillment of all that is here predicted.
The words behind it
23 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 |
| ἤνοιξεν | enoixen | it opened | G455 → | 77 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στόμα | stoma | mouth | G4750 → | 78 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | unto | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| βλασφημίας | blasphemias | blasphemies | G988 → | 18 times |
| πρὸς | pros | against | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸν | theon | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| βλασφημῆσαι | blasphemesai | to blaspheme | G987 → | 34 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄνομα | onoma | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σκηνὴν | skenen | tabernacle | G4633 → | 20 times |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of Him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανῷ | ourano | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| σκηνοῦντας. | skenountas | dwelling. | G4637 → | 5 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤνοιξενit opened
enoixenG455 →77 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
στόμαmouth
stomaG4750 →78 times
αὐτοῦof it
autouG846 →5565 times
εἰςunto
eisG1519 →1755 times
βλασφημίαςblasphemies
blasphemiasG988 →18 times
πρὸςagainst
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεὸνGod
theonG2316 →1312 times
βλασφημῆσαιto blaspheme
blasphemesaiG987 →34 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ὄνομαname
onomaG3686 →227 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
σκηνὴνtabernacle
skenenG4633 →20 times
αὐτοῦ,of Him,
autouG846 →5565 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανῷheaven
ouranoG3772 →272 times
σκηνοῦντας.dwelling.
skenountasG4637 →5 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
Matthew 12:34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
it leads to
- Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow…
- Matthew 15:18
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
- Luke 6:45
Through
Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
it leads to
- Mark 7:21–23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
- Galatians 5:19–21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
- Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- Mark 7:21–23
Through
Romans 3:13“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
it leads to
- Psalms 5:9
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- Psalms 140:3
They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah
- Psalms 5:9
Through
Hebrews 9:24For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand…
- Hebrews 12:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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About Revelation

This page draws on 10 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; 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 13:5-6.
