It exercises: as Revised Standard Version shows, the writer switches from the past tense in verse 11 to the present tense in verses 12-18. Among major modern translations, only Moffatt, An American Translation, Phillips, Revised Standard Version, and New Revised Standard Version make this change; most continue, as does Good News Translation, to use the past tense. A translator must decide here, as elsewhere, what effect the shift of tense will have on the reader.

It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence: the second beast acts as the representative, the deputy, of the first beast. It can act with all the authority of the first beast, who had received its authority from the dragon (verse 2). In the presence of the first beast, the second beast enforces the wishes of the first beast. All the authority can be expressed as “the wide-reaching authority.” In its presence may be rendered as “before the eyes (or, face) of the first beast” or “while it is with the first beast.”

Makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast: as in the case of “heaven and you that dwell therein” in 12.12, here it may be necessary to say “it forces all the people in the world to worship the first beast.” For the phrase its inhabitants see the similar expression “all who dwell on earth” in verse 8.

Whose mortal wound was healed: see Rev. 13.3.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .