Bible Strands
Revelation 13:4
They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The multitude that marveled at the beast’s healed wound proclaims this in response to the beast’s rise, immediately following the dragon’s transfer of power and preceding the beast’s forty-two-month campaign of blasphemy.
The words — The Greek προσεκύνησαν (prosekunēsan) literally means “they worshiped,” while ἐξουσίαν (exousian) translates to “authority,” both describing the transfer of power from the dragon to the beast and the crowd’s response.
The thread — The rhetorical question “Who is like the beast?” mirrors the structure of Revelation 18:18, while the dragon’s delegation of authority directly parallels the power given in Revelation 13:2 and the serpent-dragon imagery of Revelation 12:3.
Why it lands — The text records a global declaration of allegiance to a politically empowered, seemingly invincible figure, demanding that readers distinguish between manufactured awe and the sovereignty of God.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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?
Cross-references
- Revelation 13:2 The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
- Revelation 18:18 and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.
- Revelation 12:3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.
- Revelation 13:12 And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed.
- Revelation 13:15 The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.
- Exodus 15:11 Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
- Daniel 11:36 Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4 He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- Deuteronomy 9:2 The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”