The Meaning of Revelation 13:4 Explained

Revelation 13:4

KJV: 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?

YLT: and they did bow before the dragon who did give authority to the beast, and they did bow before the beast, saying, 'Who is like to the beast? who is able to war with it?'

Darby: And they did homage to the dragon, because he gave the authority to the beast; and they did homage to the beast, saying, Who is like to the beast? and who can make war with it?

ASV: and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does Revelation 13:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The apparent resurrection of this nation will be so amazing to the world that many people will give their allegiance and their worship to Antichrist (cf. Revelation 13:8; Revelation 13:12; Revelation 14:9; Revelation 14:11; Revelation 20:4). In so doing they will also submit to Satan who is behind him. Antichrist"s ability to revive this nation will make him appear invincible. The expression, "Who is like the beast?" ( Revelation 13:4) seems to be a parody of Old Testament praises of God (cf. Exodus 15:11; Psalm 35:10; Psalm 113:5; Isaiah 40:18; Isaiah 40:25; Isaiah 46:5; Jeremiah 49:19; Micah 7:18). Note that it is Antichrist"s power, not his character, that will elicit worldwide admiration. Later the Lamb will prove superior to the beast ( Revelation 14:1-5; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:11-21).

Context Summary

Revelation 13:1-18 - The Beast And His Worshipers
The horns symbolize power; the heads, intelligence; and the beast, an earthly kingdom. The dragon must stand for Satan, who has wrought his greatest achievements through earthly potentates and systems. It is through the world-power that the spleen and hatred of hell have been vented on the saints. What a comfort to know that the duration of such power is limited to 42 symbolic months, that is, 1,260 days (or years). If you are enduring hatred and persecution, be of good cheer, for your name is written in the Lamb's book of life, Revelation 13:8. This may well compensate us amid the most violent opposition.
The beast arising from the earth, Revelation 13:11-18, may represent the persecutions of papal Rome as contrasted with those of pagan Rome in the previous verses. Or this symbol may represent some of those modern devices by which men's hearts are turned from God, such as the new semi-religious schools of thought that strive for the empire of men's minds, or the customs of modern trade, Revelation 13:17. Be these as they may, the one outstanding lesson for us all is that the child of God is always in collision with the spirit of His age. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 13

1  A beast rises out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns, to whom the dragon gives his power
11  Another beast comes out of the earth,
14  causes an image to be made of the former beast,
15  and that men should worship it,
16  and receive his mark

Greek Commentary for Revelation 13:4

They worshipped the dragon [προσεκυνησαν τωι δρακοντι]
First aorist active indicative of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with dative case δρακοντι — drakonti (from δρακων — drakōn). They really worshipped Satan (the dragon) when “they worshipped the beast” (προσεκυνησαν τωι τηριωι — prosekunēsan tōi thēriōi) or any one of the heads (like Caligula, Nero, Domitian) of the beast. The beast is merely the tool of the devil for worship. Recall the fact that the devil even proposed that Jesus worship him. Emperor-worship, like all idolatry, was devil-worship. The same thing is true today about self-worship (humanism or any other form of it). [source]
Who is like unto the beast? [τις ομοιος τωι τηριωι]
Associative-instrumental case after ομοιος — homoios An echo, perhaps parody, of like language about God in Exodus 15:11; Psalm 35:10; Psalm 113:5. “The worship of such a monster as Nero was indeed a travesty of the worship of God” (Swete).And who is able to war with him? (και τις δυναται πολεμησαι μετ αυτου — kai tis dunatai polemēsai met' autou̱). Worship of the devil and the devil‘s agent is justified purely on the ground of brute force. It is the doctrine of Nietzsche that might makes right. [source]
And who is able to war with him? [και τις δυναται πολεμησαι μετ αυτου]
Worship of the devil and the devil‘s agent is justified purely on the ground of brute force. It is the doctrine of Nietzsche that might makes right. [source]
Which gave [ὁς ἔδωκεν]
The correct reading is ὅτι “because he gave.” [source]
Who is like unto the beast? []
A parody on a similar ascription to God. See Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25; Isaiah 46:5; Psalm 113:5; Micah 7:18; Jeremiah 49:19. Compare Revelation 18:18. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 13:4

Revelation 12:7 Michael and his angels [ο Μιχαηλ και οι αγγελοι αυτου]
The nominative here may be in apposition with πολεμος — polemos but it is an abnormal construction with no verb, though εγενετο — egeneto (arose) can be understood as repeated. Michael is the champion of the Jewish people (Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1) and is called the archangel in Judges 1:9.Going forth to war (του πολεμησαι — tou polemēsai). This genitive articular infinitive is another grammatical problem in this sentence. If εγενετο — egeneto (arose) is repeated as above, then we have the infinitive for purpose, a common enough idiom. Otherwise it is anomalous, not even like Acts 10:25.With the dragon On the use of μετα — meta with πολεμεω — polemeō see Revelation 2:16; Revelation 13:4; Revelation 17:14 (nowhere else in N.T.). The devil has angels under his command (Matthew 25:41) and preachers also (2 Corinthians 11:14.).Warred (επολεμησεν — epolemēsen). Constative aorist active indicative of πολεμεω — polemeō picturing the whole battle in one glimpse. [source]
Revelation 12:7 With the dragon [μετα του δρακοντος]
On the use of μετα — meta with πολεμεω — polemeō see Revelation 2:16; Revelation 13:4; Revelation 17:14 (nowhere else in N.T.). The devil has angels under his command (Matthew 25:41) and preachers also (2 Corinthians 11:14.).Warred (επολεμησεν — epolemēsen). Constative aorist active indicative of πολεμεω — polemeō picturing the whole battle in one glimpse. [source]
Revelation 13:5 There was given to him [εδοτη αυτωι]
First aorist passive indicative of διδωμι — didōmi to give, as in next line and Revelation 13:7. Perhaps a reference to εδωκεν — edōken (he gave) in Revelation 13:4, where the dragon (Satan) gave the beast his power. The ultimate source of power is God, but the reference seems to be Satan here. [source]
Revelation 13:8 Shall worship him [προσκυνησουσιν αυτον]
Future active of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with the accusative here as some MSS. in Revelation 13:4 (το τηριον — to thērion), both constructions in this book. [source]
Revelation 14:14 I saw one sitting [κατημενον]
No ειδον — eidon here, but the accusative follows the ειδον — eidon at the beginning, as νεπελη — nephelē is nominative after ιδου — idou as in Revelation 4:1, Revelation 4:4.Like unto a son of man (ομοιον υιον αντρωπου — homoion huion anthrōpou). Accusative here after ομοιον — homoion as in Revelation 1:13, instead of the usual associative instrumental (Revelation 13:4).Having Nominative again after the ιδου — idou construction, just before, not after, ειδον — eidon golden crown Here a golden wreath, not the diadems of Revelation 19:12.A sharp sickle (δρεπανον οχυ — drepanon oxu). Old form δρεπανη — drepanē (from δρεπω — drepō to pluck), pruning-hook, in N.T. only in this chapter and Mark 4:29. Christ is come for reaping this time (Hebrews 9:28) for the harvesting of earth (Revelation 14:15-17). The priesthood of Christ is the chief idea in Revelation 1:12-20 and “as the true Imperator ” (Swete) in chapter Rev 19. [source]
Revelation 14:14 Like unto a son of man [ομοιον υιον αντρωπου]
Accusative here after ομοιον — homoion as in Revelation 1:13, instead of the usual associative instrumental (Revelation 13:4). [source]
Revelation 2:16 I come [ερχομαι]
Futuristic present middle indicative, “I am coming” (imminent), as in Revelation 2:5 with ταχυ — tachu as in Revelation 3:11; Revelation 11:14; Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:12, Revelation 22:20. As with εν ταχει — en tachei (Revelation 1:1), we do not know how soon “quickly” is meant to be understood. But it is a real threat.Against them (μετ αυτων — met' autōn). This proposition with πολεμεω — polemeō rather than κατα — kata (against) is common in the lxx, but in the N.T. only in Revelation 2:16; Revelation 12:7; Revelation 13:4; Revelation 17:14 and the verb itself nowhere else in N.T. except James 4:2. “An eternal roll of thunder from the throne” (Renan). “The glorified Christ is in this book a Warrior, who fights with the sharp sword of the word” (Swete).With Instrumental use of εν — en For the language see Revelation 1:16; Revelation 2:12; Revelation 19:15. [source]
Revelation 2:16 Against them [μετ αυτων]
This proposition with πολεμεω — polemeō rather than κατα — kata (against) is common in the lxx, but in the N.T. only in Revelation 2:16; Revelation 12:7; Revelation 13:4; Revelation 17:14 and the verb itself nowhere else in N.T. except James 4:2. “An eternal roll of thunder from the throne” (Renan). “The glorified Christ is in this book a Warrior, who fights with the sharp sword of the word” (Swete). [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 13:4 mean?

And they worshiped the dragon who had given - authority to the beast the saying Who [is] like is able to make war against it
καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ δράκοντι ὅτι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῷ θηρίῳ τῷ λέγοντες Τίς ὅμοιος δύναται πολεμῆσαι μετ’ αὐτοῦ

προσεκύνησαν  they  worshiped 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: προσκυνέω  
Sense: to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence.
δράκοντι  dragon 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: δράκων  
Sense: a dragon, a great serpent, a name for Satan.
ἔδωκεν  had  given 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐξουσίαν  authority 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐξουσία  
Sense: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θηρίῳ  beast 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: θηρίον  
Sense: an animal.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὅμοιος  [is]  like 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅμοιος  
Sense: like, similar, resembling.
δύναται  is  able 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
πολεμῆσαι  to  make  war 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: πολεμέω  
Sense: to war, carry on war.
μετ’  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: μετά  
Sense: with, after, behind.