Revelation of John 13:7 · Bible study
Revelation 13:7 Commentary: War, Authority, and Endurance
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine why God permits the beast to wage war against the saints in Revelation 13:7. Study divine sovereignty, persecution, and the call to endure.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God permits the beast to persecute and temporarily overcome the saints, and to have authority over all humanity.
- Key words: ἐδόθη (it was given, aorist passive, divine permission); νικῆσαι (to overcome, conquest); ἐξουσία (authority over).
- Main debate: Identity of the beast, historical papacy, the Roman Empire, a future antichrist, or a symbol of all oppressive powers.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over evil, the suffering of the saints, and the call to endurance.
- Best use: Comforting believers that apparent defeat is not final, and that God uses persecution to refine faith.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
WEB World English Bible 2000
It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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 Darby Bible 1890
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;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given him over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y le fué dado hacer guerra contra los santos, y vencerlos|strong="G3528, G0846". También le fué dada potencia sobre toda tribu y pueblo y lengua y gente.
E foi-lhe concedido fazer guerra aos santos, e os vencer; e foi-lhe dada autoridade sobre toda tribo, língua, e nação.
Et il lui fut donné de faire la guerre aux saints, et de les vaincre. Et il lui fut donné autorité sur toute tribu, tout peuple, toute langue, et toute nation.
Und ward ihm gegeben, zu streiten mit den Heiligen und sie zu überwinden; und ward ihm gegeben Macht über alle Geschlechter und Sprachen und Heiden.
En hetzelve werd macht gegeven, om den heiligen krijg aan te doen, en om die te overwinnen; en hetzelve werd macht gegeven over alle geslacht, en taal, en volk.
E le fu dato di far guerra ai santi e di vincerli; e le fu data potestà sopra ogni tribù e popolo e lingua e nazione.
Dano jej też walczyć z świętymi i zwyciężać ich. I dana jej moc nad wszelkiem pokoleniem i językiem, i narodem.
И дано было ему вести войну со святыми и победить их; и дана была ему власть над всяким коленом и народом, и языком и племенем.
又 任憑 牠 與 聖徒 爭戰，並且 得勝；也把 權柄 賜給 牠，制伏 各 族、 各民、 各方、 各國。
And it was given to him to make war on the saints and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and language and nation.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 13:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across Protestant traditions agree that the passive verb “it was given” (ἐδόθη) in Revelation 13:7 signals divine permission. Barnes notes the beast’s power comes “by the same power that taught him to blaspheme God and his church.” Gill explicitly says this war is “permitted by God for the trial of the faith and patience of his people.” Clarke, citing Bishop Newton, connects the verse to historical persecutions of the Waldenses and Albigenses under papal authority. The Cambridge Bible observes the parallel with Daniel 7:21 and Luke 4:6: the devil offers Christ what is given to the beast, authority over the world. The consensus: God sovereignly allows the beast to wage war against the saints and to achieve apparent victory. This permission serves God’s purpose of testing faith, not destroying the church.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historicist (dominant in supplied commentaries): Identifies the beast with the papal system and its persecution of faithful Christians throughout church history, as seen in the Inquisition and wars against groups like the Waldenses (Clarke, Barnes, Gill).
- Symbolic / Idealist: Sees the beast as representing any worldly power that oppresses God's people under the authority of Satan, a pattern repeated across history (Lange, Cambridge's note on Luke 4:6).
- Futurist: Interprets the beast as a future antichrist figure who will persecute God's people during a final tribulation, based on the 42-month timeframe and the global scope of authority (vv.5-8, Rev 11:7).
What is clear: God sovereignly permits the beast to wage war against the saints and to achieve temporary, physical victory, but the saints' endurance and the Lamb's eternal victory are assured.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the beast | The beast is an adversarial power opposed to God and his people. | Historicists identify the beast with the papal system and its persecutions; Preterists see it as the Roman Empire; Futurists as a future world ruler; Symbolic readers as any oppressive power across history. |
| Nature of the war against saints | It involves real persecution, including martyrdom. | Some emphasize physical warfare (e.g., Crusades, Inquisition); others include spiritual seduction and compromise. All affirm the cost of discipleship. |
| Scope of authority over nations | The beast claims universal dominion. | Historicists often limit this to the Christian world (Christendom); futurists see literal global rule; symbolic readers see totalizing claims by any idolatrous system. |
| Meaning of 'overcome them' | The beast achieves temporary, physical victories over the saints. | Some argue this could include some falling away; most hold that it refers only to physical death, with the faithful remaining spiritually unconquered. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Revelation 13 stands in a chain of apocalyptic visions rooted in the Old Testament. The beast rising from the sea (v.1) echoes Daniel 7, where four beasts represent oppressive empires. John’s beast combines features of leopard, bear, and lion, a composite of all previous tyrannies. The dragon (Satan) gives it authority (v.2), and one of its heads receives a fatal wound that is healed (v.3), parodying Christ’s death and resurrection.
By verse 7, the beast receives two gifts: the capacity to make war against the saints and overcome them, and authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. The phrase “it was given” appears three times in this verse, a divine passive that assigns ultimate control to God. This echoes Old Testament passages where God gives power to pagan rulers for His purposes. In Jeremiah 27:6, God gives Nebuchadnezzar authority over all lands. In Isaiah 10:15, Assyria is an axe in God’s hand.
The fourfold list, tribe, people, tongue, nation, signals universal reach. In Revelation, this list appears seven times, always describing a global scope. Here it means the beast’s influence extends over all human communities, not just one region. Early Christians read this against the backdrop of Roman persecution, but John sees beyond any single empire. The beast’s war against the saints is both spiritual and literal. The 42 months of verse 5 set a limit on its power. Persecution is real, but it is bounded.
The Cambridge Bible notes that “the Devil gives to Antichrist what he offered to Christ” (Luke 4:6). The beast claims what belongs to God alone, but only within the time God allows.
Textual Notes
The Cambridge Bible notes that several early manuscripts (including A, B, C) and versions omit the phrase “and to overcome them,” likely due to scribes skipping from one “and there was given” to another (parablepsis). The clause is well-attested in most witnesses and is supported by the parallels in Daniel 7:21 and Revelation 11:7. No significant textual variant affects the overall meaning of the verse.
Reception History
Reformation writers read Revelation 13:7 as a prophecy of the papal church’s persecution of true believers. John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs documented the suffering of Protestants under Mary Tudor and the Inquisition. Matthew Henry and others saw the verse fulfilled in the wars against the Waldenses and Albigenses. In Catholic interpretation, the beast has often been understood as any worldly power that persecutes the Church, from pagan Rome to modern secular states. In the twentieth century, the verse was applied to Nazi and Communist regimes that sought to destroy Christianity. The underlying theme across traditions: the people of God will face real opposition, but their true victory is in Christ.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s Sovereignty in the Passive Voice, The threefold “it was given” reminds us that even the beast’s power is delegated. God permits persecution for purposes we may not fully understand, but He never loses control.
- The Beast’s War and Apparent Victory, The beast wages war against the saints and overcomes them. This is real suffering. The book of Revelation does not sugarcoat the cost of following Christ.
- The Saints’ Endurance, Verse 10 calls for “the endurance and faith of the saints.” Physical defeat is not final. The Lamb who was slain has already won the ultimate victory.
Five-point outline
- Permission from Above, The passive verb shows that God remains sovereign even when evil seems to triumph.
- War Against the Saints, The beast targets the holy ones of God. This conflict is both spiritual and, at times, physical persecution.
- Overcoming the Saints, The beast can kill the body, but cannot separate believers from the love of God. Their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (v.8).
- Authority Over All Nations, The beast’s dominion is universal in scope, reflecting the reach of oppressive systems that demand total allegiance.
- The Call to Endurance, The chapter ends not with defeat but with a summons to patience and fidelity. Faithfulness, not deliverance from suffering, is the mark of the true believer.
Illustration hooks
- Early Christian Martyrs, Under Nero and later emperors, believers were fed to lions, burned as torches, and crucified. Yet the church grew. Their endurance witnesses to the power of God’s grace in the face of apparent conquest.
- Modern Persecution, In regions where Christians face imprisonment, torture, and death (e.g., North Korea, parts of Africa, the Middle East), the beast’s war continues. The call to endurance is not ancient history.
- The Temptation of Power, The beast’s authority over nations mirrors the temptation Christ rejected: “All this I will give you if you will worship me.” Christians are called to reject worldly power that demands idolatry.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God gives permission for the beast to overcome the saints, can I really trust that God is good?
- How do I respond when it feels like evil is winning in my life or in the world?
- What does endurance look like on a Tuesday morning, not just in a crisis?
Leading a Discussion
This verse confronts us with a hard truth: God allows the beast to wage war against His people and to overcome them. The passive “it was given” points to God’s sovereignty, yet it raises deep questions about suffering, evil, and the character of God. As you discuss, resist the urge to offer easy answers. Let the text do its work.
Discussion questions
- Read Revelation 13:1-10. What does the repetition of “it was given” (six times in the chapter) tell you about the source of the beast’s power?
- Why do you think God permits the beast to overcome the saints? What possible purposes might this serve?
- How does verse 8, the Lamb’s book of life written from the foundation of the world, comfort believers facing persecution?
- Verse 10 says “Here is the endurance and faith of the saints.” What does endurance look like when you are being conquered?
- In what ways do you see the spirit of the beast at work today? Where is authority demanded in ways that compete with Christ’s lordship?
- How can this passage shape how you pray for persecuted Christians around the world?
- How does the assurance of Christ’s victory (e.g., Revelation 11:15, 19) help you live faithfully when evil seems to triumph?
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 9:16 | but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth, |
| Isaiah 10:15 | Should an ax brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood. |
| Isaiah 37:26 | “‘Have you not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it in ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to destroy fortified cities, turning them into ruinous heaps. |
| Jeremiah 25:9 | behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,” says Yahweh, “and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations around. I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations. |
| Jeremiah 27:6 | Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant. I have also given the animals of the field to him to serve him. |
| Jeremiah 27:7 | All the nations will serve him, his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings will make him their bondservant. |
| Jeremiah 51:20 | “You are my battle ax and weapons of war. With you I will break the nations into pieces. With you I will destroy kingdoms. |
| Jeremiah 51:24 | “I will give to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight,” says Yahweh. |
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 identifies the beast's war against the saints as the real historical persecution carried out by the Roman Church and the Latin empire. He cites staggering death tolls from the Inquisition, the Jesuits, and the crusades against groups like the Albigenses and Waldenses, treating these events as direct fulfillments of the prophetic text.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the beast as the papal system, focusing on its divinely permitted persecution of the saints, especially the Waldenses and Albigenses. He ties its power to make war and overcome the faithful to the papacy's historical claim of universal dominion and its influence over all nations and rulers.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the clause about overcoming the saints may have been accidentally omitted in some early copies, as scribes' eyes skipped from one similar phrase to another. It also clarifies that the saints here means Christians, not Israel, and that the Devil gives the Antichrist the same authority he once offered to Christ.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the beast's power to speak blasphemies and wage war is not his own but is given to him, and only for a limited time of forty-two months. This underscores God's sovereign control even over evil, as its duration and scope are divinely permitted, not self-generated.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists this war against the saints is both spiritual and literal, not limited to excommunications but including armed battles, massacres, and the Inquisition. He specifically points to the slaughter of the Waldenses and Albigenses as a key example, noting God permits this persecution to test the faith and patience of His people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the Greek word translated "power" actually means "authority," and notes the precise Greek wording behind "every tribe, tongue, nation." They also point out that several ancient manuscripts and early Christian writers add "and people" after "tribe," reflecting a textual variation.
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 points out that "all kindreds" is more accurately translated "every tribe," and that the original Greek includes "and people" after "tribe." His focus is on the precise wording of the redeemed peoples, emphasizing the specific terms used in the text.