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Selected Verse: Revelation 13:5 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Re 13:5	King James	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.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
blasphemies--So ANDREAS reads. B reads "blasphemy." A, "blasphemous things" (compare Dan 7:8; Dan 11:25). power--"authority"; legitimate power (Greek, "exousia"). to continue--Greek, "poiesai," "to act," or "work." B reads, "to make war" (compare Rev 13:4). But A, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and ANDREAS omit "war." forty . . . two month--(See on Rev 11:2-3; Rev 12:6).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

blasphemies--So ANDREAS reads. B reads "blasphemy." A, "blasphemous things" (compare Dan 7:8; Dan 11:25).

power--"authority"; legitimate power (Greek, "exousia").

to continue--Greek, "poiesai," "to act," or "work." B reads, "to make war" (compare Rev 13:4). But A, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and ANDREAS omit "war."

forty . . . two month--(See on Rev 11:2-3; Rev 12:6).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things - John does not say by whom this was given; but we may suppose that it was by the "dragon," who is said Rev 13:2 to have given him his power, and seat, and authority. The fulfillment of this is found in the claims set up by the princes and rulers here referred to - that mighty secular power that sustained the papacy, and that was, in some sort, a part of the papacy itself. These arrogant claims consisted in the assertion of a divine right; in the power assumed over the liberty, the property, and the consciences of the people; in the arbitrary commands that were issued; and in the right asserted of giving absolute law. The language used here is the same as what is found in Dan 7:8 when speaking of the "little horn:" "In this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things." For an illustration of the meaning of this, see the notes on that passage. Compare notes on Dan 7:25. And blasphemies - That is, the whole power represented by the "beast" will be blasphemous. See the notes on Rev 13:1. Compare the notes on Dan 7:25. And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months - Three years and a half, reckoned as months; or twelve hundred and sixty days, reckoning thirty days for a month; or twelve hundred and sixty years, regarding the days as prophetic days. For the evidence that this is to be so regarded, see the notes on Dan 7:25. This is the same period that we meet with in chap. Rev 11:2, and in chap. Rev 12:6. See the notes on those places. This fact proves that the same power is referred to in these places and in Daniel; and this fact may be regarded as a confirmation of the views here taken, that the power here referred to is designed to have a connection in some form with the papacy. The duration of the existence of this power is the same as what is everywhere ascribed to the papacy, in the passages which refer to it; and all the circumstances, as before remarked, show that the same general power is referred to by the two "beasts" which are described in this chapter. If so, the continuance or duration may be supposed to be the same; and this is indicated in the passage before us, where it is said that it would be twelve hundred and sixty years. In regard to the application of this to the papal power, and the manner in which the calculation is to be made of the duration of that power, see the notes on Dan 7:25, and the remarks at the end of that chapter. The meaning in the passage before us I take to be, that the papal power, considered as a civil or secular institution, will have, from the time when that properly commenced, a duration of twelve hundred and sixty years. In the Scriptures there is nothing more definite in regard to any future event than this.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things - John does not say by whom this was given; but we may suppose that it was by the "dragon," who is said Rev 13:2 to have given him his power, and seat, and authority. The fulfillment of this is found in the claims set up by the princes and rulers here referred to - that mighty secular power that sustained the papacy, and that was, in some sort, a part of the papacy itself. These arrogant claims consisted in the assertion of a divine right; in the power assumed over the liberty, the property, and the consciences of the people; in the arbitrary commands that were issued; and in the right asserted of giving absolute law. The language used here is the same as what is found in Dan 7:8 when speaking of the "little horn:" "In this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things." For an illustration of the meaning of this, see the notes on that passage. Compare notes on Dan 7:25.

And blasphemies - That is, the whole power represented by the "beast" will be blasphemous. See the notes on Rev 13:1. Compare the notes on Dan 7:25.

And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months - Three years and a half, reckoned as months; or twelve hundred and sixty days, reckoning thirty days for a month; or twelve hundred and sixty years, regarding the days as prophetic days. For the evidence that this is to be so regarded, see the notes on Dan 7:25. This is the same period that we meet with in chap. Rev 11:2, and in chap. Rev 12:6. See the notes on those places. This fact proves that the same power is referred to in these places and in Daniel; and this fact may be regarded as a confirmation of the views here taken, that the power here referred to is designed to have a connection in some form with the papacy. The duration of the existence of this power is the same as what is everywhere ascribed to the papacy, in the passages which refer to it; and all the circumstances, as before remarked, show that the same general power is referred to by the two "beasts" which are described in this chapter. If so, the continuance or duration may be supposed to be the same; and this is indicated in the passage before us, where it is said that it would be twelve hundred and sixty years. In regard to the application of this to the papal power, and the manner in which the calculation is to be made of the duration of that power, see the notes on Dan 7:25, and the remarks at the end of that chapter. The meaning in the passage before us I take to be, that the papal power, considered as a civil or secular institution, will have, from the time when that properly commenced, a duration of twelve hundred and sixty years. In the Scriptures there is nothing more definite in regard to any future event than this.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
To continue forty and two months (ποιῆσαι μῆνας τεσσεράκοντα δύο) Lit., to make forty and two months. Similarly, Act 15:33, ποιήσαντες χρόνον having tarried a space; lit., having made a time. See on continued there a year, Jam 4:13. The best expositors, however, render ποιῆσαι absolutely, to work, and the following accusative as the accusative of duration, "during forty and two months." Rev., margin to do his works during, etc. See Dan 11:28.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things - That is, There was given to the rulers of the Latin empire, who are the mouth of the beast, (and particularly the Roman emperors of Germany), power to assume great and pompous titles, indicative of their mighty sway over many subjugated countries, (see the imperial instruments of the middle centuries in the Corps Diplomatique), and also to utter against their opponents the most terrible edicts. And blasphemies - The system of worship supported by the beast is a system of blasphemy, as there will be occasion to show presently. And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months - As these forty-two months are prophetic, they must mean so many years as there are days contained in them; viz., 1260, each month containing 30 days. The beast, therefore, will continue in existence at least 1260 years; but when the termination of this period will take place is difficult to say, as the beginning cannot be at present indubitably ascertained.

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⁶ And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

² But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
³ And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

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?

²⁵ And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.

⁸ I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

²⁵ And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

⁶ And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

² But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

¹ 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.

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.

²⁸ Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

¹³ Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

³³ And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.