Revelation of John 13:4 · Bible study
Revelation 13:4 Commentary: The Worship of the Dragon and the Beast
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the world worships the dragon and beast in Revelation 13:4, and how 'Who is like the beast?' parodies divine praise.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The world worships the dragon and beast because of delegated power, hailing the beast as incomparable and invincible in a parody of true worship.
- Key words: proskuneo (worship/homage), hoti (because), exousia (authority), homoios (like), polemeo (make war).
- Main debate: Whether the worship is literal religious adoration (Gill) or a more general homage to a political power (Barnes); most agree it is idolatrous regardless.
- Theological theme: Counterfeit worship exposes human propensity to give ultimate loyalty to worldly power; Satan mimics God’s authority.
- Best use: A warning against idolizing any human system or leader, and a reminder that only God is truly incomparable and invincible.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
They worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
KJV King James Version 1769
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?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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 Darby Bible 1890
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?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they adored the dragon which gave power to the beast. And they adored the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? And who shall be able to fight with him?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y adoraron al dragón que había dado la potestad á la bestia, y adoraron á la bestia, diciendo: ¿ Quién es semejante á la bestia, y quién podrá lidiar con ella?
E adoraram ao dragão, ao qual tinha dado poder à besta; e também adoraram à besta, dizendo: Quem é semelhante à besta? Quem pode batalhar contra ela?
Et ils adorèrent le dragon, parce qu’ il avait donné l’ autorité à la bête; ils adorèrent la bête, en disant: Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle?
und sie beteten den Drachen an, der dem Tier die Macht gab, und beteten das Tier an und sprachen: Wer ist dem Tier gleich, und wer kann mit ihm kriegen?
En zij aanbaden den draak, die het beest macht gegeven had; en zij aanbaden het beest, zeggende: Wie is dit beest gelijk? wie kan krijg voeren tegen hetzelve?
e adorarono il dragone perché avea dato il potere alla bestia; e adorarono la bestia dicendo: Chi è simile alla bestia? e chi può guerreggiare con lei?
I kłaniali się onemu smokowi, który dał moc bestyi; kłaniali się też bestyi, mówiąc: Któż podobny bestyi? Któż z nią walczyć może?
и поклонились зверю, говоря: кто подобен зверю сему? и кто может сразиться с ним?
又 拜 那龍─因為 牠將自己的權柄 給了 獸，也 拜 獸，說：「誰 能比 這獸， 誰 能 與 牠 交戰呢？」
And they gave worship to the dragon, because he gave authority to the beast; and worshipping the beast, they said, Who is like the beast? and who is able to go to war with him?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 13:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree: this verse describes a deliberate counterfeit of true worship. The dragon (Satan) gives his authority to the beast, and the world's response is to worship both, not as an abstract idea but as a real, religious devotion. The Greek causal conjunction hoti ('because') makes explicit: the beast's power is the ground for this worship. Vincent notes that the rhetorical question 'Who is like the beast?' is a parody of Old Testament praises of God (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 35:10) and of the name Michael ('Who is like God?'). Cambridge Bible calls it 'a sort of blasphemous parody.' Clarke and Barnes both see the worship as voluntary submission to a power that claims divine attributes. The beast is hailed as incomparable and invincible, language that belongs to God alone. Gill adds that the worship of the dragon involves offerings to demons behind idols. The scene warns: any power that demands ultimate loyalty and mimics God's uniqueness is participating in this anti-worship. Yet the parody is exposed for what it is: a creature claiming what only the Creator deserves.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical-critical: Beast represents the Roman empire and emperor worship; context of first-century persecution.
- Futurist: Beast is a future Antichrist figure who will demand worship during the tribulation.
- Idealist: Beast symbolizes any oppressive, idolatrous power throughout history; the warning is timeless.
What is clear: The world worships the dragon and beast because of delegated authority, and the acclamation 'Who is like the beast?' is a parody of the worship due to God alone.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the beast | The beast is a hostile, blasphemous power opposed to God and his people, empowered by the dragon (Satan). | Christians have understood the beast differently: as the Roman empire (early church), the papal system (many Protestant Reformers), or a future end-times Antichrist (futurists). All see it as a symbol of oppressive, idolatrous power. |
| Nature of worship in verse 4 | The word 'worship' (proskuneo) means bowing in homage; in context it is directed to the dragon and beast in a way that belongs to God alone. | Some argue it is strictly political homage (Barnes), while others see it as religious worship of Satan through idols (Gill, citing 1 Cor 10:20). Both agree it is idolatrous. |
| Meaning of 'Who is like the beast?' | The question is a deliberate parody of Old Testament praises of God (e.g., Ex 15:11). | Some highlight the connection to the name Michael (Cambridge, JF Brown), while others focus on the ascription of divine attributes of incomparability and invincibility. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Revelation 13 draws heavily on the Old Testament. The beast rising from the sea echoes Daniel 7, where four beasts represent oppressive empires. The dragon, identified as Satan in Revelation 12:9, mimics God's role in giving authority (Daniel 4:17). The worship of rulers was a known reality in the Roman Empire, the imperial cult demanded sacrifices and oaths to Caesar. Many early Christians died rather than offer this worship. John’s vision recasts that conflict in cosmic terms.
The chant 'Who is like the beast?' directly mimics phrases used of God in the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:11) and the Psalms. The name Michael (Who is like God?) is similarly parodied. The verb proskuneo could mean bowing in respect to a superior, but here the context is idolatrous. Paul warns that the 'man of lawlessness' will demand worship (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and Daniel speaks of a king who magnifies himself above every god (Daniel 11:36).
The early church read this as a coded critique of Rome’s demand for divine honors. Later interpreters applied it to any power, political or religious, that exalts itself above God. The cultural setting of emperor worship gives the parody teeth: what the world celebrates as invincible, John exposes as a satanic front. The worship of the dragon behind the beast shows that all idolatry ultimately serves the enemy of God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant textual variant: instead of the relative pronoun 'who gave' (hos edōken), the best manuscripts read the conjunction 'because he gave' (hoti edōken). This reading is adopted by most modern editions (e.g., NA28, UBS5) and is supported by the commentators (Vincent, Cambridge, JF Brown). The variant does not change the essential meaning but strengthens the idea that the dragon’s giving of authority is the cause of the world’s worship. The wording of the rhetorical questions is stable across witnesses.
Reception History
Early Christian writers read Revelation 13:4 as a description of the Roman empire’s demand for worship. Irenaeus and Hippolytus saw the beast as the Antichrist rising from Rome. During the Reformation, Protestant commentators like John Gill and Matthew Henry identified the beast with the papacy, noting the blasphemous claims of papal authority. The phrase 'Who is like the beast?' has been consistently recognized as a parody of the name Michael (Who is like God?), a theme from the book of Daniel and Jewish tradition. In modern scholarship, the verse is understood as an apocalyptic critique of any political system that demands absolute allegiance. The warning against worshiping brute power remains relevant for Christians facing pressure to conform to worldly values.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Authority’s real source. The dragon gives the beast his power. Behind every oppressive human regime stands a spiritual reality (Ephesians 6:12). Satan delegates authority to corrupt systems.
- The world’s response. People worship, they bow, they acclaim. The crowd’s chant in verse 4 reveals what happens when power is mistaken for divinity: it receives religious devotion.
- The parody exposed. 'Who is like the beast?' is stolen language. The question that should be asked only of God is asked of a creature. The sermon’s closure: one day every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
Five-point outline
- The dragon’s gift: authority transferred (v.2,4a).
- The world’s worship: both dragon and beast (v.4a).
- The crowd’s song: incomparability ('Who is like?')
- The crowd’s boast: invincibility ('Who can make war?')
- The warning: do not envy the beast’s power, it is borrowed and doomed.
Illustration hooks
- A sports fanbase chanting 'We are the champions' has a feel of invincibility, but that pride is temporary. The world’s chant for the beast is a darker version.
- Political rallies where a leader is praised as 'the only one who can save us' echo the language of ultimate trust. The line between proper respect and idolatry can blur.
- Technology that promises to solve every problem can function as a modern beast: people trust it with almost religious fervor.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell if I am giving too much loyalty to a political leader or nation?
- Does worship of the beast only refer to the future, or can it happen in everyday choices?
- If the world worships the beast, how should Christians live as a counter-community?
Leading a Discussion
Revelation 13:4 pictures a world deceived by power. The dragon and beast receive the worship that belongs to God. As you discuss, ask yourselves: what kinds of power in our world attract unquestioning devotion?
Discussion questions
- What do the people say about the beast? List the two claims they make.
- Why do they worship the dragon? Find the reason given in the verse.
- How does the question 'Who is like the beast?' compare with Exodus 15:11 and the name Michael? Why is this important?
- The word proskuneo can mean bowing in homage or religious worship. In this context, why does it matter that John uses it for both the dragon and the beast?
- What human institutions or leaders sometimes receive a kind of worship today? How would we recognize if we have crossed a line?
- In what ways does the beast’s authority come from the dragon? What does that teach us about the source of worldly power?
- How does knowing that the beast’s power is temporary ( it lasts 42 months, verse 5) change how we view its apparent invincibility?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:11 | Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? |
| Deuteronomy 9:2 | a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?” |
| I Samuel 17:24 | All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were terrified. |
| Psalms 106:37 | Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. |
| Psalms 106:38 | They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood. |
| Daniel 11:36 | “The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and will speak marvelous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the indignation is accomplished, for that which is determined will be done. |
| Daniel 11:37 | He won’t regard the gods of his fathers, or the desire of women, or regard any god; for he will magnify himself above all. |
| I Corinthians 10:20 | But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets the worship of the dragon and beast as the Latin Church's voluntary religious submission to the revived western empire. The adoration involves proclaiming the beast uniquely holy and invincible, as in "Who is like unto the beast?" and "Who can make war with him?"
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that "worship" here means honoring a superior, not necessarily religious worship. He sees this fulfilled in papal Rome, where the reverence demanded for its civil and ecclesiastical power was actually homage to Satan, the dragon behind it. The claims that the beast is incomparable and invincible amounted to idolatrous ascription of divine attributes to a human authority.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points out that the phrase "Who is like the beast?" is a deliberate, blasphemous parody of Old Testament praises of God and even of the name Michael, which means "Who is like God?" The beast arrogantly claims an honor that belongs only to God.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the beast which I sawe, was like a Leopard, and his feete like a beares, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gaue him his power and his throne, and great authoritie.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the worshippers as those who give religious adoration to the dragon through idols and saints, a practice he says the Gentile church continued. He then argues that worshipping the beast means giving the pope divine honours, calling him "our Lord God" and claiming no power can challenge his authority over kings and emperors.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees the worshipers' question — "Who is like the beast?" — as a deliberate blasphemous parody. They are stealing language that Scripture reserves for God alone and applying it to the beast, even twisting the meaning behind the name Michael, which means "Who is like God?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry draws attention to John's uncertain state: the apostle perceives himself on the seashore but remains in a
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to a textual variant, noting the correct Greek reading is "because he gave" rather than "which gave." He also observes that the question "Who is like the beast" is a deliberate parody of similar Old Testament ascriptions of incomparability to God alone.