The Meaning of Revelation 13:7 Explained

Revelation 13:7

KJV: 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.

YLT: and there was given to it to make war with the saints, and to overcome them, and there was given to it authority over every tribe, and tongue, and nation.

Darby: And there was given to it to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and there was given to it authority over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation;

ASV: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Revelation 13:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

He will wage war against believers and overcome them (i.e, kill them, Revelation 13:15) and will become a worldwide dictator ( Daniel 7:21; Daniel 7:23). No other ruler has ever been able to rule the entire world.
"Incidentally this shows that something more than the Neronic persecution is in mind, for that was not world-wide." [1]
"This verse furnishes a most important key to the proper understanding of events occurring during the tribulation period. Since authority is given to him [2] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations upon his ascent from the sea, any passage pertaining to rivalry of kings or conflict among kings in the "time of the end" (such as Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:24; Daniel 11:40-44) must refer to a time preceding this universal dictatorship and therefore to the first half of the tribulation." [3]

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 13:7

To make war with the saints and to overcome them [ποιησαι πολεμον μετα των αγιων και νικησαι αυτους]
This clause with two epexegetical first aorist active infinitives (πολεμησαι — polemēsai and νικησαι — nikēsai) is omitted in A C P, but probably by ομοεοτελευτον — homoeoteleuton (like ending) because of the repetition of εδοτη — edothē The words seem to come from Daniel 7:21, Daniel 7:23. There was no escape from the beast‘s rule in the Mediterranean world. See Revelation 5:9 for the phrases here used, there for praise to the Lamb. [source]
The saints [τῶν ἁγίων]
See on Acts 26:10. [source]
All kindreds [πᾶσαν φυλὴν]
Rev., more literally and correctly, every tribe. See on Revelation 1:7; see on Revelation 5:9. After tribe insert καὶ λαὸν andpeople. See on 1 Peter 2:9. [source]
Nation [ἔθνος]
See on 1 Peter 2:9. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 13:7

Revelation 11:3 I will give [δωσω]
Future active of διδωμι — didōmi The speaker may be God (Beckwith) or Christ (Swete) as in Revelation 2:13; Revelation 21:6 or his angel representative (Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:12.). The idiom that follows is Hebraic instead of either the infinitive after διδωμι — didōmi as in Revelation 2:7; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 6:4; Revelation 7:2; Revelation 13:7, Revelation 13:15; Revelation 16:8 or ινα — hina with the subjunctive (Revelation 9:5; Revelation 19:8) we have και προπητευσουσιν — kai prophēteusousin (and they shall prophesy). [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 22:14 They that wash their robes [οι πλυνοντες τας στολας αυτων]
Present active articular participle of πλυνω — plunō See Revelation 7:14 for this very verb with στολας — stolas while in Revelation 3:4 the negative statement occurs. Cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11.That they may have the right (ινα εσται η εχουσια αυτων — hina estai hē exousia autōn). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the future middle of ειμι — eimi (a common construction in this book, Revelation 6:4, Revelation 6:11; Revelation 9:5, Revelation 9:20; Revelation 13:12; Revelation 14:13), that there may be their right.”To come to the tree of life “Over the tree of life.” On εχουσια επι — exousia epi = “power over” see Revelation 6:8; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 16:9; Luke 9:1. On “the tree of life” see Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2.May enter in (εισελτωσιν — eiselthōsin). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai parallel with ινα εσται — hina estai (future).By the gates Associative instrumental case of πυλων — pulōn (Revelation 21:12), “by the gate towers.” [source]
Revelation 22:14 To come to the tree of life [επι το χυλον της ζωης]
“Over the tree of life.” On εχουσια επι — exousia epi = “power over” see Revelation 6:8; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 16:9; Luke 9:1. On “the tree of life” see Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2.May enter in (εισελτωσιν — eiselthōsin). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai parallel with ινα εσται — hina estai (future).By the gates Associative instrumental case of πυλων — pulōn (Revelation 21:12), “by the gate towers.” [source]
Revelation 5:9 A new song [ωιδην καινην]
Cognate accusative for οιδε — oide Second aorist passive indicative of σπαζω — sphazō Αγοραζω — Agorazō used by Paul and Peter of our purchase from sin by Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 4:5; 2 Peter 2:1; cf. 1 Peter 1:18.).Unto God Dative case of advantage as also in Revelation 5:10.With thy blood (εν τωι αιματι σου — en tōi haimati sou). Instrumental use of εν — en as in Revelation 1:5. The blood of Christ as the price of our redemption runs all through the Apocalypse. This is the reason why Christ is worthy to “take the book and open its seals.” That is, he is worthy to receive adoration and worship (Revelation 4:11) as the Father does.Men of every No αντρωπους — anthrōpous (men) or τινας — tinas (some) before εκ — ek in the Greek. See a like ellipsis in Revelation 11:9 with a like grouping of words for all mankind, representatives of all races and nations (Revelation 7:9; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 14:6). [source]
Revelation 5:9 Unto God [τωι τεωι]
Dative case of advantage as also in Revelation 5:10.With thy blood (εν τωι αιματι σου — en tōi haimati sou). Instrumental use of εν — en as in Revelation 1:5. The blood of Christ as the price of our redemption runs all through the Apocalypse. This is the reason why Christ is worthy to “take the book and open its seals.” That is, he is worthy to receive adoration and worship (Revelation 4:11) as the Father does.Men of every No αντρωπους — anthrōpous (men) or τινας — tinas (some) before εκ — ek in the Greek. See a like ellipsis in Revelation 11:9 with a like grouping of words for all mankind, representatives of all races and nations (Revelation 7:9; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 14:6). [source]
Revelation 5:9 Men of every [εκ πασης]
No αντρωπους — anthrōpous (men) or τινας — tinas (some) before εκ — ek in the Greek. See a like ellipsis in Revelation 11:9 with a like grouping of words for all mankind, representatives of all races and nations (Revelation 7:9; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 14:6). [source]
Revelation 7:9 Which no man could number [ον αριτμησαι αυτον ουδεις εδυνατο]
Redundant repetition of the pronoun αυτον — auton after the relative ον — hon as in Revelation 7:5; Revelation 3:8. Εδυνατο — Edunato imperfect indicative and αριτμησαι — arithmēsai first aorist active infinitive of αριτμεω — arithmeō old verb, in N.T. only here, Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7. See Revelation 5:9 (also Revelation 11:9; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 14:10; Revelation 17:15) for the list of words after εκ — ek (the spiritual Israel carried on all over the world), “a polyglott cosmopolitan crowd” (Swete). [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 13:7 mean?

And there was given to it to make war with the saints to overcome them was given authority over every tribe people tongue nation
Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων νικῆσαι αὐτούς ἐδόθη ἐξουσία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν φυλὴν λαὸν γλῶσσαν ἔθνος

ἐδόθη  there  was  given 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
αὐτῷ  to  it 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ποιῆσαι  to  make 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
πόλεμον  war 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: πόλεμος  
Sense: a war.
ἁγίων  saints 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
νικῆσαι  to  overcome 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: νικάω  
Sense: to conquer.
ἐδόθη  was  given 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
ἐξουσία  authority 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐξουσία  
Sense: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases.
ἐπὶ  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
πᾶσαν  every 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
φυλὴν  tribe 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: φυλή  
Sense: a tribe.
λαὸν  people 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λαός  
Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language.
γλῶσσαν  tongue 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γλῶσσα  
Sense: the tongue, a member of the body, an organ of speech. 2 a tongue.
ἔθνος  nation 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἔθνος  
Sense: a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together.