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.
Parallel translations
- WEB One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast.
- BSB One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.
- NKJV And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
- NASB I saw one of his heads as if it had been fatally wounded, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;
- NLT I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
One of the beast's heads seems mortally wounded yet healed, and the world marvels and follows it. The beast counterfeits resurrection to win allegiance.
Overview
The apparently fatal wound that is healed is a satanic imitation of Christ's death and resurrection, designed to inspire awe and worship. The whole earth's amazement shows how counterfeit power deceives the nations into following the beast rather than the Lamb who was truly slain and truly raised. Faithful readers are warned not to be dazzled by imitations of Christ's victory.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Rev 17:8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
- Rev 13:14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the 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.
- Rev 17:17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
- Rev 17:10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
- Ezek 30:24And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.
- Rev 13:1–2And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
- Rev 17:13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
- Rev 13:12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
- Acts 8:13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
- 2 Th 2:9–12Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- Luke 2:1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
- Acts 8:10–11To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
- Rev 17:6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
- John 12:19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 13:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.