What Does Revelation 13:13 Mean?
And he makes great signs, so that he makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth before the face of men.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,THE KEY
The “wonders” are also signs in Greek: the spectacle points somewhere.
THE MEANING
The verse shows fire descending from heaven in full view, making what people see part of the display’s force. The Greek word behind “wonders” also means “signs,” so the event carries a claim about what it points to. Its visibility alone does not tell you whether that claim is true.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A display that looks heavenly and happens in public must be telling the truth.
THE ROOT
σημεῖα
sēmeia
GROWS FROM
σημ-
sēm-
A mark or sign that indicates.
“wonders” in this verse is sēmeia. The word holds together an event and its pointer: this wonder is also a sign, something visible that indicates or authenticates. The Greek keeps the question of what the event signals in view.
ALSO GROWS
sēma: Sign, mark.
σῆμα
The sign is more than an astonishing event; it points beyond itself.
sēmainō: To signify, indicate, make known.
σημαίνω
This related verb makes explicit the indicating action carried by a sign.
ποιεῖ
poiei
GROWS FROM
ποιέω
poiéō
To do, make, produce.
“makes” in this verse is poiei. The Greek repeats one verb where the KJV says “doeth” and “maketh,” joining the great signs and the descending fire as one sequence of doing. The word family links the maker to what is made, keeping the acting figure in view throughout the spectacle.
ALSO GROWS
poiēma: A thing made, a work.
ποίημα
The fire is presented as something brought about within the sign-making action.
poiētēs: A maker, doer.
ποιητής
The related noun keeps the agent behind the display in view.
THE PATTERN
A spectacular sign must be read by what it points toward, because visible power can serve deception.
And the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, Let us walk after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them;For false anointed ones will rise, and false prophets, and they will give great signs and wonders, so that, if it were possible, even the picked-out ones are led off the path.whose arrival is according to the working of the Adversary, with all strength and signs and lying wonders.THE THREAD
whose arrival is according to the working of the Adversary, with all strength and signs and lying wonders.The same Greek word for “signs” appears here, paired with “lying wonders.” A sign can be striking as a display while pointing toward falsehood; the fire’s visibility does not authenticate what it signals.
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