1 (NIV)É And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had
ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a
blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a
bear and a mouth
like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3
One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal
wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the
beast. 4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the
beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who
can make war against him?" 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud
words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He
opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling
place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war
against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every
tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the
beast–all whose names
have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain
from the creation of the world.