Revelation 13:6 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Revelation 13:6 kjv
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Revelation 13:6 nkjv
Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
Revelation 13:6 niv
It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
Revelation 13:6 esv
It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
Revelation 13:6 nlt
And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling ? that is, those who dwell in heaven.
Revelation 13 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 16:9 | And men were scorched... they did not repent so as to give Him glory. | Blasphemy against God's power and name. |
| Rev 16:11 | They blasphemed the God of heaven... | Persistence in blasphemy. |
| Rev 16:21 | Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail... | Response to divine judgment with blasphemy. |
| Dan 7:8 | Another horn, a little one... speaking pompous words. | Prophetic parallel to boastful, arrogant power. |
| Dan 7:20 | A mouth speaking pompous words... seemed more imposing than its associates. | Little horn's audacious claims. |
| Dan 7:25 | He shall speak words against the Most High... | Directly prophesies speaking against God. |
| 2 Thes 2:3-4 | The man of sin... who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship... so that he sits as God in the temple of God... | Antichrist's self-deification and opposition. |
| Ex 20:7 | You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain... | The holiness and reverence due God's name. |
| Lev 24:16 | And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. | Severity of blasphemy in Old Testament law. |
| Isa 52:5 | My name is blasphemed continually all day long. | Blasphemy against God's name among His people. |
| Ps 74:10 | O God, how long is the adversary to scoff? Is the enemy to revile Your name forever? | Enemies reviling God's name. |
| Ps 74:18 | Remember this, O Lord, that the enemy has reviled... | Another lament about enemies dishonoring God. |
| Rom 2:24 | "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you..." | Misrepresentation causing God's name to be scorned. |
| Rev 13:1 | A beast rising up out of the sea... having names of blasphemy on its heads. | The beast's fundamental identity as blasphemous. |
| Rev 13:2 | The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. | Satanic source of the beast's power and intent. |
| Rev 12:9 | The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan... who deceives the whole world. | Satan, the ultimate blasphemer and deceiver. |
| Heb 8:2 | A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected... | The heavenly sanctuary/tabernacle, God's true dwelling. |
| Heb 9:11 | Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands... | Christ ministers in the perfect heavenly tabernacle. |
| Rev 21:3 | Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men... | God's ultimate dwelling among His people in the New Jerusalem. |
| Dan 7:21 | The same horn was making war against the saints and prevailing against them. | Blasphemy accompanied by war against God's people. |
| Rev 13:7 | It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. | The beast's blasphemy extends to persecution. |
| Jude 1:8 | Defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignities. | Speaking evil of heavenly beings/authorities. |
| Ps 78:60 | So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which He had pitched among men. | God's earthly dwelling that could be forsaken/violated. |
| Isa 14:13 | You said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...’ | Lucifer's original ambition to usurp God's place, similar to the beast's blasphemy. |
| Mk 2:7 | “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” | Blasphemy understood as claiming divine prerogatives. |
Revelation 13 verses
Revelation 13 6 meaning
Revelation 13:6 describes a deliberate action of the beast from the sea, where it opens its mouth to speak blasphemous words. These words are directed specifically against God, aiming to defame His very being and identity ("His name"), His dwelling place or presence ("His tabernacle"), and all heavenly beings loyal to Him ("those who dwell in heaven"). This verse powerfully portrays the beast as an entity of ultimate rebellion and anti-divine malice.
Revelation 13 6 Context
Revelation 13 presents the appearance of two beasts following the revelation of the seven-headed dragon (Satan) in chapter 12. The first beast, emerging from the sea, represents a global, blasphemous, and persecuting power. This verse (13:6) specifies its characteristic speech: arrogant and impious declarations that directly attack God, His very nature, His heavenly abode, and the celestial inhabitants who worship Him. This behavior aligns it with the "little horn" of Daniel 7, which also speaks boastful words against the Most High and makes war with the saints. Historically, the blasphemous claims and demands of worship from Roman emperors and the empire's persecution of early Christians provide a contemporary historical context for John's audience to understand such anti-God power. The verse emphasizes that the beast’s spiritual antagonism is not merely incidental but a core expression of its being, having received its authority directly from the dragon, who is "the god of this world."
Revelation 13 6 Word analysis
- And he opened: Indicates a deliberate, active, and decisive action by the beast. This is not an accidental slip but a chosen mode of expression.
- his mouth: The literal instrument of speech. In apocalyptic literature, the mouth often signifies the source of authoritative declarations, boastful claims, and oppressive decrees. It highlights the beast’s public pronouncements.
- in blasphemy: Greek blasphēmia (βλασφημία). Meaning "slander," "defamation," "impious speech." It refers to language that dishonors God, impugns His character, abuses His holy name, or asserts prerogatives that belong only to Him. This is the inherent nature and mode of the beast's communication.
- against God: Directs the blasphemy specifically toward the Supreme Being. This emphasizes outright defiance and enmity towards the divine authority, contrasting sharply with worship.
- to blaspheme: The infinitive expresses the purpose or object of opening the mouth – the direct act of blasphemy itself. It reinforces the primary objective of the beast’s speech.
- His name: In the biblical sense, "name" (Greek onoma, ὄνομα) encompasses God’s character, authority, reputation, identity, and essence. To blaspheme God's name is to desecrate everything He is and represents. It is an attack on His holiness, power, and sovereignty.
- His tabernacle: Greek skēnē (σκηνή), meaning "tent" or "dwelling place." This refers to God's habitation. In the context of Revelation, it most likely refers to the heavenly sanctuary, the true and spiritual dwelling place of God, as discussed in Hebrews 8 and 9. It can also imply God's spiritual presence among His people, the church. The beast aims to desecrate or reject this sacred dwelling and what it represents—God's intimate presence and ordered spiritual realm.
- and those who dwell in heaven: Greek tois en tō ouranō skēnousin (τοῖς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ σκηνοῦσιν). This refers to the heavenly host—angels, redeemed saints who have gone to be with the Lord, and all others who reside in God's presence in heaven. The beast's blasphemy extends beyond God Himself to all those loyal to Him in the celestial sphere. It reveals a sweeping animosity toward God's entire realm and those who are part of His divine order, reflecting Satan's primal rebellion against the divine government.
- he opened his mouth in blasphemy: A deliberate, public act of verbal assault. It signals the beast’s direct and audacious challenge to divine authority, not just in actions, but in its very declarations.
- to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven: This phrase comprehensively defines the targets of the beast’s spiritual antagonism. It reveals a full-spectrum assault against God's essence (Name), God's dwelling/presence (Tabernacle), and God's loyal subjects (those in heaven). This tripartite targeting underscores the depth of the beast's enmity, seeking to dishonor every aspect of God's existence and sovereignty, parallel to ancient polemics against the gods and temples of opposing empires.
Revelation 13 6 Bonus section
The act of blasphemy by the beast highlights a contrast with genuine worship. True worship honors God's name, respects His dwelling, and reveres His heavenly court. The beast, by definition, does the exact opposite. This ongoing blasphēmia is not just speech; it's a profound spiritual condition reflecting the ultimate antagonism towards God that characterizes the spiritual powers behind this worldly system. In apocalyptic thought, such explicit blasphemy often precedes and accompanies severe persecution of God's faithful, as seen immediately in the subsequent verse where the beast is given authority to make war with the saints. It serves as a stark warning about the spiritual nature of final anti-Christ opposition.
Revelation 13 6 Commentary
Revelation 13:6 is pivotal in defining the beast from the sea not just as a political or military power, but fundamentally as an anti-God entity whose core essence is rebellion and blasphemy. Its "mouth" signifies the beast's public articulation of its agenda, a direct verbal affront to the Almighty. The comprehensive nature of its blasphemy—targeting God's Name (His character and essence), His Tabernacle (His holy dwelling place and spiritual order), and those who dwell in Heaven (the heavenly host, including departed saints)—demonstrates a total declaration of war against the divine order. This isn't just defiance but an active usurpation of divine prerogatives and an expression of ultimate spiritual depravity, empowered by Satan. It mirrors ancient despots who claimed divine honors, and in a Christian context, stands as a chilling foreshadowing of a future, concentrated outpouring of ultimate human rebellion against Christ. This active, ongoing blasphemy underpins the beast's subsequent persecution of the saints and imposition of worship upon humanity, making clear its spiritual alignment and its purpose: to dishonor and displace God.