Revelation 13:7

Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records John's vision at the moment the second beast exercises its delegated power immediately after its blasphemous declarations. The scene addresses the early church's reality of persecution under imperial authority.

The words — The Greek ἐδόθη (edothē) translates literally as "there was given" or "was permitted," marking the beast's power as derivative. καὶ (kai) functions as a sequential connector, binding this permission directly to the preceding blasphemies.

The thread — The text describes a bounded persecution that parallels Daniel 7:21 and Daniel 7:25, where a horn wages war against and oppresses the saints. The same conflict resurfaces in Revelation 11:7 when the beast attacks the two witnesses.

Why it lands — The passage states that the beast's conquest of the saints and dominion over every tribe and nation occur only under divine permission. It requires the reader to maintain disciplined faith and reject the illusion that earthly power operates outside sovereign limits.

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 it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Cross-references

Daniel 7:21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
Revelation 11:7 When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them.
Daniel 7:25 He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged at the woman and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.
Daniel 8:24 His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men along with the holy people.
Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
Revelation 17:15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
John 19:11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
Revelation 11:18 The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
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.