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The Beasts

¹ Then I noticed a great beast coming out of the sea. It also had seven heads and ten horns with ten crowns. Each head had a name written on it that blasphemed God. ² The beast looked like a leopard with bear's feet and a lion's mouth. The dragon gave its strength and power to the beast, as well as its throne and its dominating authority. ³ One of the heads looked like it had been wounded, but it had healed. The whole earth was enamored by the beast and fell in love with it. ⁴ The world worshiped the dragon because of the power it had given the leopard. They also worshiped the beast saying things like, "The beast is all powerful and not even God can stand against it."

⁵ The beast bellowed its proud claims of invincibility and continually hurled insults at God. It was allowed to strut its pride for forty-two months. ⁶ It cursed God, his name, his home in heaven, and all those who reside there. ⁷ It was allowed to fight against God's cowboys and win. It was also allowed to have authority over every nation, tribe, race, and language. ⁸ Everyone living on earth worshiped the beast, except for those whose name was in the brand registry. This book belongs to the Lamb of God that was slain.

⁹ Open your ears if you've got 'em! ¹⁰ All who are meant to be captured will be. All who are meant to die by the sword will. If you ride for the Lord, ride tall with courage, honor, and faith.

¹¹ Then another beast was seen coming up out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It was like a puppet of the leopard. It made everyone worship the first beast that had been healed of a deathly strike. ¹³ This second beast performed many miracles. It called down fire from the skies for everyone to see. ¹⁴ It deceived all the people of the earth with these miracles it was granted to perform while with the first beast. The second beast commanded idols to be made and worshiped of the leopard (which had been mortally wounded by a sword, but still lived). ¹⁵ The second beast had been given the power to bring the first back like a zombie to be worshiped. The first beast was made to talk and walk. It could even kill those who didn't worship it. ¹⁶ The beast forced all people, big or small, rich or poor, slave or free, to have a mark placed on their right hand or forehead. ¹⁷ You couldn't buy or sell without this mark—the beast's brand, which is his name or number that means his name.

¹⁸ This will take a whole bunch of wisdom to figure out the meaning of the number of the beast. The number stands for the name of someone. The number is 666.