What Does Revelation 13:2 Mean?
And the beast which I perceive is like a leopard, and his feet are as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gives him his power, and his throne, and great authority.
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 the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.THE KEY
The beast’s terrifying rule is received: the dragon gives it power, a throne, and authority.
THE MEANING
The beast gathers the forms of a leopard, a bear, and a lion into one terrifying figure. Yet the verse names the source of its rule: its power, seat, and authority come from the dragon. Its power is real, but it is received.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that whatever terrifies you must be ultimate and self-originating: the beast’s power, seat, and authority all have a giver.
THE ROOT
ἔδωκεν
edōken
GROWS FROM
δίδωμι
didōmi
To give, grant, or hand over.
The beast’s rule is described as something handed over, not something it generates. The source of the gift stays visible in the sentence: the dragon gives it.
ALSO GROWS
dosis: Giving; a gift.
δόσις
This word holds both the act of giving and what is given, keeping the transfer of power in view.
dōrea: A gift, something freely given.
δωρεά
This branch echoes the verse’s picture of the beast’s power and authority as received.
δύναμιν
dynamin
GROWS FROM
δύναμαι
dynamai
To be able; to have capacity.
“power” in this verse is dynamin. The word points to capacity or ability, distinct from the right to rule. The verse says even this capacity is given to the beast.
ALSO GROWS
dynatos: Able, capable, powerful.
δυνατός
This branch describes what has the capacity to act; here that capacity comes from the dragon.
dynamoō: To strengthen, make powerful.
δυναμόω
This verb treats power as something that can be supplied or strengthened, echoing the beast’s received power.
ἐξουσίαν
exousian
GROWS FROM
ἔξεστι(ν) (exesti)
It is permitted; it is within one’s right.
Exousia carries the sense of right or jurisdiction, distinct from capacity. The verse says both the beast’s ability and its authority are granted, so its rule has a source.
ALSO GROWS
exousiazō: To exercise authority; to dominate.
ἐξουσιάζω
This branch shows exousia in action: the right to rule expressed as rule over others.
exousiastēs: One who exercises authority; a ruler.
ἐξουσιαστής
This branch names the person who holds jurisdiction, sharpening the verse’s focus on authority as something the beast receives.
THE PATTERN
Rule is shown as received, and naming its giver reveals the source behind it.
After this I saw, and look, another, like a leopard, which had upon its back four wings of a bird. The living one also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.And the Slanderer said to him, I will give you all this authority and the weight of them, for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I want.Jesus answered, You would have no authority at all against me, unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you has a greater shortcoming.THE THREAD
Jesus answered, You would have no authority at all against me, unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you has a greater shortcoming.John’s δεδομένον (dedomenon, given) comes from δίδωμι (didōmi, to give), the same verb behind ἔδωκεν (edōken, gave) here. John also uses ἐξουσία (exousia, authority) where the KJV says “power”; both verses show jurisdiction as received, while naming different sources.
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