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.
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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
- 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 you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present.
- Rev 13:14He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
- Rev 17:17For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.
- Rev 17:10They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must continue a little while.
- Ezek 30:24I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he shall groan before him with the groaning of a mortally wounded man.
- Rev 13:1–2Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
- Rev 17:13These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.
- Rev 13:12He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
- Acts 8:13Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
- 2 Th 2:9–12even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- Luke 2:1Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
- Acts 8:10–11to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.”
- Rev 17:6I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
- John 12:19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has 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.