Revelation 13:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The world worships both the dragon and the beast, exalting the beast as unrivaled and unconquerable.
What Does Revelation 13:4 Mean?
The world's wonder turns into worship. They bow to the dragon for empowering the beast, and they bow to the beast itself, chanting, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? Their words mimic the praises Scripture reserves for God, who alone is incomparable.
The cry Who is like the beast? is a stolen echo of the song of Moses, Who is like thee, O LORD, among the gods? Here that holy question is bent toward an idol. Worship always flows somewhere; when it is withdrawn from God it does not vanish but attaches to power, fear, and force. The reader is summoned to keep that incomparable question where it belongs, fixed on the Lord, before whom every rival is exposed as small.
Revelation 13:4 in the Original Language
proskuneo (προσκυνέω), 'worship' -- to bow down in homage, the very posture owed to God alone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 13:4
What does Revelation 13:4 mean?
The world worships both the dragon and the beast, exalting the beast as unrivaled and unconquerable.