The Skeptics Annotated Bible (1007 page)

(12.15)
“The serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”

16 And
the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

(12.16)
“The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”

17 And
the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed
, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

(12.17)
“The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed.”

(13.1-6)
An Unusual, Blaspheming Sea Beast
John sees a sea beast with the usual 7 heads and 10 horns, with “blasphemy” written on each head. It looked like a leopard, except its feet were like a bear, and its mouth like a lion. The dragon and the sea beast were allies and everyone worshipped the sea beast.

13
And
I
stood upon the sand of the sea, and
saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

(13.1)
“I … saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”

2 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.

(13.2)
“The beast … was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.”

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4
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?

(13.4)
“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast.”

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And
he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God
, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

(13.6)
“He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.”

(13.7-8) The sea beast goes to war against the “saints”. He is given power (by God?) over all nations, and all non-Christians worship him.

7 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.

(13.7)
“It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.”

8 And
all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life
of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

(13.8)
“All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.”

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

(13.11-13)
A Fire-Throwing Land Beast
John sees another beast coming out of the earth with horns like a lamb and a voice like a dragon. He could do “great wonders,” like make fire come down from the sky.

11 And
I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

(13.11)
“I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.”

12 And
he
exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and
causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast
, whose deadly wound was healed.

(13.12)
“He … causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast.”

13 And
he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven
on the earth in the sight of men,

(13.13)
“He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven.”

(13.14-15) The people make an image of the beast that can speak. Anyone who refuses to worship the image is killed.

14
And deceiveth them
that dwell on the earth
by
the means of those
miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast;
saying
to them that dwell on the earth,
that they should make an image to the beast
, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

(13.14)
“And deceiveth them … by … miracles … saying … that they should make an image to the beast.”

15 And
he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

(13.15)
“He had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”

(13.16-18)
The Mark of the Beast

16 And
he causeth all
, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,
to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

(13.16)
“He causeth all … to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.”

17 And
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

(13.17)
“That no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count
the number of the beast
: for it is the number of a man; and his number
is Six hundred threescore and six.

(13.18)
“The number of the beast … is Six hundred threescore and six.”

(14.1-4) Only 144,000 celibate men will be saved. (Those who were not “defiled with women.”) Or are the 144,000 men that are “not defiled by women” homosexuals? Will only gay men be saved?