Revelation 13:16–18 speaks of a mark on the right hand or forehead: without it, no one could buy or sell, and this mark is the name of the beast or the number of its name. The reader is told to calculate the number of the beast; it is the number of a person, and it is given as six hundred sixty-six. The text connects the mark with worshiping the beast and its image; it does not name modern technologies, organizations, or people.
What Does the Bible Say About This?
- Revelation 13:16–17: everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—is made to receive a mark on the right hand or forehead; without it, no one can buy or sell—only those who have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
- Revelation 13:18: it says that wisdom is needed here; anyone with understanding must calculate the number of the beast, for it is called the number of a person—six hundred sixty-six.
- Revelation 13:1–8, 11–15: the first beast rises from the sea, receives power and authority from the dragon, and is worshiped; the other beast compels people to worship the first and make its image.
- Revelation 14:9–12: everyone who worships the beast and its image and receives the mark on the forehead or hand faces the wrath of God; the passage also speaks of the perseverance of the saints who keep God’s commandments and the faith of Jesus.
- Revelation 15:2; 19:20; 20:4: those who overcome the beast, its image, and the number of its name stand beside the sea of glass; the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire; those who did not worship the beast or receive the mark came to life and reigned with Christ.
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the verse texts are from the Father’s Blessing Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
7 Scripture passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Revelation 13:16–18
16 He causes everyone—the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves—to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell except those who have the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; and its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
Revelation 14:9–12
9 Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives the mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink the wine of the wrath of God, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur before the holy angels and before the Lamb; 11 and the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and its image, and anyone who receives the mark of its name. 12 Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 13:1–8
1 And he stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads; on its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names. 2 The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave it his power, his throne, and great authority, 3 And I saw one of its heads as though it had been mortally wounded, but its mortal wound was healed. And the whole earth marveled, watching the beast; 4 and they worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying: Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it? 5 And it was given a mouth to speak great and blasphemous things, and it was given authority to act for forty-two months. 6 And it opened its mouth to blaspheme God, to blaspheme His name, His dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 And it was allowed to wage war against the saints and conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship it, whose names have not been written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world order.
Revelation 13:11–15
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf. It makes the earth and those who dwell in it worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of people. 14 And it deceives those who dwell on the earth by the signs it was allowed to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could speak, and to cause all who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Revelation 15:2
And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast, its image, and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass and holding harps of God,
Revelation 19:20
And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf, by which he had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
Revelation 20:4
I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
