[I saw] oneof his headsas ifit had been slain,and his fatalwoundwas healed.And the wholeearthwas amazed[and followed] afterthe beast;
For I will strengthenthe armsof the kingof Babylonand putMy swordin his hand;and I will breakthe armsof Pharaoh,so that he will groanbeforehim with the groaningsof a woundedman.
Nowin thosedaysa decreewentout from CaesarAugustus,that a census be takenof allthe inhabited earth.
Sothe Phariseessaidto one another,"You seethat you are not doinganygood;look,the worldhas goneafterHim."
EvenSimonhimselfbelieved;and after being baptized,he continuedon with Philip,and as he observedsignsand greatmiraclestaking place,he was constantly amazed.
He exercisesallthe authorityof the firstbeastin his presence.And he makesthe earthand thosewho dwellin it to worshipthe firstbeast,whosefatalwoundwas healed.
And he deceivesthosewho dwellon the earthbecauseof the signswhichit was givenhim to performin the presenceof the beast,tellingthosewho dwellon the earthto makean imageto the beastwhohadthe woundof the swordand has come to life.
and they are sevenkings;fivehave fallen,oneis, the otherhas not yetcome;and whenhe comes,he mustremaina little while.
"The beastwhichwas and is not, is himselfalsoan eighthand is [one] of the seven,and he goesto destruction.
"Thesehaveonepurpose,and they givetheir powerand authorityto the beast.
"For Godhas putit in their heartsto executeHis purposeby havinga commonpurpose,and by givingtheir kingdomto the beast,untilthe wordsof Godwill be fulfilled.
And I sawthe womandrunkwith the bloodof the saints,and with the bloodof the witnessesof Jesus.When I sawher, I wonderedgreatly.
"The beastthat you sawwas, and is not, and is aboutto comeup out of the abyssand goto destruction.And thosewho dwellon the earth,whosenamehas not been writtenin the bookof lifefrom the foundationof the world,will wonderwhen they seethe beast,that he was and is not and will come.
