Revelation 13:12-18

New Catholic Bible

¹² It wielded all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it forced the earth and all its inhabitants to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. ¹³ It performed great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all.

¹⁴ By the signs it was allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth, persuading them to erect an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ It was permitted to give life to the beast’s image so that it could even speak and cause all those to be put to death who would not worship the image of the beast.

¹⁶ It also forced all the people, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be branded on the right hand or on the forehead. ¹⁷ No one could buy or sell anything except one who has been branded with the name of the beast or with the number of its name.

¹⁸ There is wisdom here. Let anyone who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. The number is six hundred and sixty-six.