What is the mark of the beast?

In Revelation 13:16-17 it is the mark required to buy and sell, tied to the name or the number of the beast. The book sets it against the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants (Revelation 7:3): the question is to whom one belongs and whom one worships.

Is 666 the devil's number?

The Bible does not call it that: it says it is the number of the beast and “the number of a man” (Revelation 13:18). It is a number of opposition to God, not a number that brings bad luck or power in itself.

Greek word · Strong G5516

What does 666 mean in the Bible?

666 is “the number of the beast” of Revelation 13:18: “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.” The text gives its own key — it is the number of a man — and asks for wisdom to understand it, not fear.

666 in Greek

χξϛ

chx stigma · transliteration

In Strong’s lexicon: 666 as a numeral
In the King James: six1
Appears in: 1 verse

See the full G5516 entry →

What 666 stands for

There are three main readings. Many scholars recall that in those days letters also served as numbers, and that the name “Nero Caesar” written in Hebrew adds up to 666 — the emperor who persecuted the Christians. Others read the number as a symbol: 6 repeated three times, always one short of the 7 of completeness, would be humanity trying to take God's place and never reaching it. And some look for a fulfillment still to come.

666 also appears, with no link to the beast, in the gold Solomon received each year: “six hundred threescore and six talents of gold” (1 Kings 10:14). In Revelation the point is not to crack a code, but to bow to no power that demands the worship only God deserves — the same book shows those who belong to God with the Father's name written on their foreheads (Revelation 14:1).

Where 666 appears

Revelation 13:18

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.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the mark of the beast?: In Revelation 13:16-17 it is the mark required to buy and sell, tied to the name or the number of the beast. The book sets it against the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants (Revelation 7:3): the question is to whom one belongs and whom one worships.
Is 666 the devil's number?: The Bible does not call it that: it says it is the number of the beast and “the number of a man” (Revelation 13:18). It is a number of opposition to God, not a number that brings bad luck or power in itself.

What 666 stands for

Where 666 appears

Revelation 13:18

Frequently asked questions

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