Revelation of John 13:6 · Bible study
Revelation 13:6 Commentary: The Beast's Blasphemy Against God and His Tabernacle
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does the beast's blasphemy against God's tabernacle mean? Explore the meaning of this verse and its connection to the antichristian power.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The beast's blasphemy targets God's name, his tabernacle (his dwelling place), and the saints who dwell in heaven, an assault on everything sacred.
- Key words: Blasphemy (blasphēmia), speech injurious to God's majesty; tabernacle (skēnē), the tent of God's presence; dwell (skēnoō), to pitch a tent, live as in a sanctuary.
- Main debate: Whether “them that dwell in heaven” is a separate object of blasphemy or in apposition to “tabernacle” (meaning the tabernacle is the heavenly dwellers themselves).
- Theological theme: The antichristian power's rebellion against God involves attacking his people, because they are the place of his presence on earth.
- Best use: A warning that opposition to God always includes targeting his people, and an assurance that believers are secure in the heavenly tabernacle.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and it did open its mouth for evil-speaking toward God, to speak evil of His name, and of His tabernacle, and of those who in the heaven tabernacle,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And it opened its mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and those who have their tabernacle in the heaven.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he opened his mouth unto blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y abrió su boca en blasfemias contra Dios, para blasfemar su nombre, y su tabernáculo, y á los que moran en el cielo.
E ela abriu sua boca em blasfêmia contra Deus, para blasfemar do nome dele, e do tabernáculo dele, e daqueles que habitam no céu.
Et elle ouvrit sa bouche pour proférer des blasphèmes contre Dieu, pour blasphémer son nom, et son tabernacle, et ceux qui habitent dans le ciel.
und es tat seinen Mund auf zur Lästerung gegen Gott, zu lästern seinen Namen und seine Hütte und die im Himmel wohnen.
En het opende zijn mond tot lastering tegen God, om Zijn Naam te lasteren, en Zijn tabernakel, en die in den hemel wonen.
Ed essa apri la bocca per bestemmiare contro Dio, per bestemmiare il suo nome e il suo tabernacolo e quelli che abitano nel cielo.
I otworzyła usta swoje ku bluźnierstwu przeciwko Bogu, aby bluźniła imię jego i przybytek jego, i tych, którzy mieszkają na niebie.
И отверз он уста свои для хулы на Бога, чтобы хулить имя Его, и жилище Его, и живущих на небе.
獸就開 口 向 神 說 褻瀆的話，褻瀆 神 的名 並 他的 帳幕，以及那些住 在天 上的。
And his mouth was open to say evil against God, and against his name and his Tent, even against those who are in heaven.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 13:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse describes the beast's comprehensive attack on everything sacred. Gill notes the beast sits as God in the temple, claiming infallibility and forgiving sins. Barnes adds that the blasphemy extends to God's name, his tabernacle (the place of worship), and the saints who dwell in heaven. The consensus is that the beast's speech is directly against God, his dwelling, and his people. A key textual point, highlighted by Vincent and the Cambridge Bible, is that the best Greek manuscripts omit the conjunction before “those who dwell in heaven,” making the phrase in apposition to “tabernacle.” This suggests the tabernacle itself is the community of saints who tabernacle in heaven, both the departed and believers whose true citizenship is there. Alford, cited by Vincent, explains that this construction enhances the enormity of the blasphemy: it attacks a name and a dwelling that are heavenly in nature. Across traditions, the verse is read as a prophecy of the antichristian power that will persecute the church and defame God's sanctuary and people.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Tabernacle as place: The tabernacle is God's dwelling—the heavenly sanctuary or the temple/church on earth (Barnes, Gill on 'skēnē' as the church or Christ's humanity).
- Tabernacle as people (appositional reading): The omission of 'and' in early mss makes 'those who dwell in heaven' the tabernacle itself; the blasphemy attacks both God's name and his people who are his dwelling (Cambridge Bible, Alford via Vincent).
What is clear: The beast's speech is directly and comprehensively directed against God—his name, his sacred dwelling, and the saints who inhabit that dwelling—showing that opposition to God includes hostility to his people.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the beast | The beast represents a persecuting power that opposes God and his people. | Reformation-era interpreters (Gill, Barnes, Clarke) identified the beast with the papacy; modern scholars often see the Roman imperial cult or a future antichrist figure. |
| Meaning of 'tabernacle' (skēnē) | Refers to God's dwelling place, either the heavenly sanctuary, the temple, or the church. | Some (Gill) understand it as Christ's human nature; others (Barnes, Cambridge) as the church as God's temple; the appositional reading makes it the saints themselves. |
| Those who dwell in heaven | They are the faithful, angels, departed saints, or believers whose citizenship is heavenly. | Whether this group includes living believers on earth, or only those already in heaven, and whether they are a separate object of blasphemy or identified with the tabernacle. |
| Textual variant (omission of 'and') | The best manuscripts omit the conjunction before 'them that dwell in heaven,' making it an appositional phrase. | Some translations retain 'and' (KJV, ASV); the meaning shifts from multiple objects to a single complex object: 'the name and tabernacle, those who dwell in heaven.' |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse appears in John's vision of the beast rising from the sea (Revelation 13:1-10). The beast is a composite figure drawn from Daniel's four beasts, combining elements of leopard, bear, and lion (v.2). The dragon, identified as Satan, gave the beast his power, throne, and great authority (v.2). John records that one of the beast's heads seemed fatally wounded but was healed, causing the whole world to marvel and worship the beast (vv.3-4).
In verse 5, the beast is given “a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy” and authority for forty-two months. Verse 6 expands that description: the beast opens its mouth specifically for blasphemies against God. The phrase “opened his mouth” is a Semitic formula for a solemn speech, as seen in Job 3:1 and Matthew 5:2. The forty-two months echo the time of the church's protection in the wilderness (Revelation 12:6,14) and likely allude to the period of oppression under Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel 7:25 and Daniel 8:14.
The term “tabernacle” (Greek skēnē) carries deep Old Testament resonance. It recalls the wilderness tabernacle where God dwelled among his people. In John's Gospel, the Word “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14). The same verb (skēnoō) appears here for “dwell.” The beast's blasphemy thus targets the very place and people of God's presence, whether the heavenly sanctuary, the church as God's dwelling, or the incarnate Christ. Interpreters in the Reformation era, such as the Puritans and later commentators like Gill and Barnes, identified the beast with the papal system, which they saw as arrogating divine prerogatives, claiming to forgive sins, and persecuting true believers. Modern scholars often see the beast as a symbol of any human empire that deifies itself, especially the Roman imperial cult that demanded worship of Caesar. The blasphemy is not mere profanity; it is a systematic assault on God's authority, his sanctuary, and his people.
Textual Notes
The best Greek manuscripts (including Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus) omit the conjunction kai before tous en tō ouranō skēnountas (“those who dwell in heaven”). Vincent notes that this omission makes the following phrase appositional to “name and tabernacle,” so the blasphemy is literally against “the name and the tabernacle, those who tabernacle in heaven.” The Textus Receptus, followed by the KJV, adds the conjunction, producing three objects. The reading without kai is preferred by most modern critical texts. No other significant variants affect the meaning.
Reception History
Early Christian writers saw this verse as part of the prophecy of the antichrist, a figure who would oppose God in the end times. In the medieval period, some interpreters applied the beast to specific heretical movements or persecuting emperors. During the Reformation, a strong interpretative tradition, represented by Luther, Calvin, and later by commentators such as Matthew Henry, Gill, and Barnes, identified the beast with the papal system. They saw the blasphemies against God's tabernacle as fulfilled in papal claims of infallibility, indulgences, and the mass. More recent scholarship, while not dismissing that application, also reads the beast as a symbol of any idolatrous imperial power, especially the cult of the Roman emperor. The verse has been sung in hymns about the church's security, and it continues to comfort believers facing persecution, reminding them that their true dwelling is in heaven.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The beast opens its mouth. Speech reveals the heart (Matthew 12:34). The beast's blasphemy is not accidental but deliberate, authorized by the dragon. It represents a regime that speaks against God publicly and systematically.
- The targets of blasphemy. The beast attacks God's name (his reputation and authority), his tabernacle (his dwelling place, whether the temple, the church, or Christ), and those who dwell in heaven (the saints). No sacred thing is spared.
- The assurance for believers. Those who dwell in heaven are safe. Though the beast may war against the saints on earth (v.7), their true dwelling is beyond reach. The same verb “tabernacle” connects their security to God's own dwelling.
Five-point outline
- The source of the blasphemy: The beast receives a mouth from the dragon (v.5). Evil uses speech to attack truth.
- The object of blasphemy: Not just any god, but the God of heaven, his name, his dwelling, his people.
- The meaning of “tabernacle”: Either the place of worship, Christ's humanity, or the church as God's temple. All point to where God makes himself known.
- The identity of “those who dwell in heaven”: Likely the saints, both departed and living, whose citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). The appositional reading makes them the tabernacle itself, God's people are his dwelling.
- The response of faith: Not retaliation but endurance and faith (v.10). The beast's time is limited to forty-two months.
Illustration hooks
- A public figure uses a platform to mock God, demean the church, and ridicule Christians. The speech is calculated to undermine trust in God's authority.
- A workplace where a Christian is told to keep their faith private, but other ideologies are openly promoted. The pressure to conform feels like a subtle form of blasphemy against God's name.
- When believers are slandered for their convictions, they are attacked not just as individuals but as representatives of the tabernacle, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is the beast in Revelation 13 a specific historical figure, or a pattern that repeats in different eras?
- If I am being ridiculed for my faith, does that mean I am part of the “tabernacle” that the beast attacks?
- How can I endure when it feels like evil is winning in public discourse?
Leading a Discussion
Revelation 13:6 shows the beast's mouth as the weapon of choice. Blasphemy is not just bad language, it is a direct assault on God's name, his dwelling place, and his people. The verse raises hard questions about how we face a world that mocks the sacred, and where we find security when our faith is under attack.
Discussion questions
- Read Revelation 13:5-7. What does the beast receive, and what does it do with that power? How does speech become a tool of oppression?
- Why do you think the blasphemy targets specifically God's name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven? What do these three things have in common?
- The Greek word for “dwell” in verse 6 (skēnoō) is the same verb used in John 1:14 for “the Word tabernacled among us.” How does this connection deepen the meaning of the beast's attack?
- Some manuscripts omit the “and” before “those who dwell in heaven,” making them an apposition to “tabernacle.” How would that change the meaning? Which reading seems more convincing to you, and why?
- How does the limited time of forty-two months (v.5) shape the way we view the beast's power? Is there hope in that limitation?
- Verse 10 calls for “endurance and faith of the saints.” What does endurance look like when you are being slandered or marginalized for your beliefs?
- In what ways might we see similar blasphemy today, not just in direct attacks on God, but in systems that claim authority over conscience or persecute believers?
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)
| Job 3:1 | After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth. |
| Matthew 12:34 | You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. |
| Matthew 15:19 | For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. |
| John 1:14 | The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. |
| Romans 3:13 | “Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.” |
| Colossians 1:19 | For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, |
| Colossians 2:9 | For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, |
| Hebrews 9:2 | For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread, which is called the Holy Place. |
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.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the blasphemy not as words but as the papal church's actual acts: claiming divine authority over consciences and excommunicating true believers. He sees this fulfilled specifically in Rome's persecution of groups like the Waldenses and Albigenses, who represented the genuine church on earth.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
and them that dwell ] “And” should apparently be omitted, so that “them that tabernacle in Heaven” is in apposition with the “tabernacle” of God itself.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the "man of sin" as the papal system, which he says blasphemes God by claiming divine attributes—infallibility, power to forgive sins, and authority over kings. It also blasphemes Christ's tabernacle by the doctrine of transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the Mass.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB expands the meaning of those who dwell in heaven beyond angels and departed saints. He includes believers still on earth whose true citizenship is in heaven and whose lives are hidden from the Antichristian persecutor within God's tabernacle.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the beast from the sea as the whole of historical worldly political Antichristianity in its final consummate form, not as a specific empire or emperor. He distinguishes it from the second beast out of the earth, which represents the fallen hierarchy's spirit serving the political Antichristian power through hypocrisy and false miracles.
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 highlights a textual detail that changes the meaning: the blasphemy is not against those who dwell in heaven but against God's name and tabernacle, which dwell there. He traces this to a Greek construction where "tabernacle" stands in apposition, making the offense a direct attack on God's holy name and dwelling-place.