Paragraph 13:5–8
13:5a
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words: The phrase was given a mouth is an idiom. It probably indicates that God allowed the beast to speak these arrogant and blasphemous words. For example:
The beast was allowed to make proud claims which were insulting to God (Good News Translation)
The beast was given a mouth: The clause is passive. Some ways to translate it are:
• Use a passive clause. For example:
A mouth was given to the beast
-or-
The beast was allowed to speak (God’s Word)
• Use an active clause. Probably the dragon gave the words to say, as he gave authority in 13:2d. (God allowed all these things in 13:1–8, but John was speaking about the dragon and the beast in these verses.) For example:
⌊The dragon⌋ gave the beast a mouth/message
• Use a verb that implies that someone gave the words to say. For example:
The beast received permission to speak
arrogant…words: The Greek word is literally “great (things).” Here the Greek word refers to boasting. For example:
boasts (New Jerusalem Bible)
blasphemous words: The word blasphemous refers to words which slander God. It may refer to saying that God is evil. It may also refer to claiming that someone else is the true God. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
claims which were insulting to God (Good News Translation)
-or-
sayings that dishonor God
-or-
things/words that greatly slander God
See how you translated the similar word “blasphemous” in 13:1.
13:5b
authority to act: The Greek words are literally “was given authority to it to do.” The two ways to interpret the Greek words are:
(1) It indicates that the beast was allowed to use the authority that the dragon had given him. For example:
it was allowed to use its power (New Century Version)
(2) It indicates that the beast was permitted to continue boasting and speaking blasphemy. For example:
was granted permission to continue (Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The word “give” is implied from 13:5a. Probably the dragon gave permission, as in 13:5a. Other ways to translate this are:
it was permitted to have authority (Good News Translation)
-or-
⌊the dragon⌋ ⌊gave to him⌋ the right to use his authority
42 months: This is the same amount of time as the 1,260 days in 12:6b, but counted in months. The Greek uses number words. There are several ways to translate this meaning:
• Use number words. For example:
forty-two months (New International Version)
• Use numerals, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
Some languages have difficulty with big numbers. If that is true in your language, use a different time word. For example:
three and a half years
-or-
three years and six months
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