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.