Bible Strands
Revelation 13:8
And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the beast’s worship in the moment when the beast is permitted to wage war against the saints and is given authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation. It presents the contrast to the reader between all who dwell on the earth and those whose names are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain.
The words — προσκυνήσουσιν (proskunēsousin) is “will worship,” and κατοικοῦντες (katoikountes) is “dwelling,” giving the verse its central action and subject. The literal force is that the earth’s inhabitants perform worship toward the beast.
The thread — The slain Lamb connects to 1 Peter 1:19, and the writing before the foundation of the world connects to Ephesians 1:4. The kingdom prepared for the blessed resonates with Matthew 25:34.
Why it lands — It asks the reader to treat worship of the beast as identifying those whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. It sets the beast’s worship against the Lamb who was slain.
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 all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Cross-references
- 1 Peter 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.
- Ephesians 1:4 For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.
- Revelation 3:5 Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
- Titus 1:2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
- John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- Revelation 21:27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- Revelation 5:12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
- 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.