Revelation 13:17

17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, ¹the name of the beast or ²the number of its name.

PREVIOUS Revelation 13:16 NEXT Revelation 13:18

Revelation 13:17 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 13:17

And that no man might buy or sell
Either in an ecclesiastical sense, as to, be in any church office, or perform any such service, to say Mass, hear confession, give absolution, sell pardons and indulgences or in a civil sense, as to trade, and exercise merchandise, and this was forbidden by several Popish councils and synods; the Lateran council, under Pope Alexander, decreed against the Waldenses and Albigenses, that no one should presume to retain or encourage them in their houses or countries, or "trade" with them; and the synod of Tours in France forbid any reception of heretics, or protection, and that any communion should be had with them "in buying and selling", as Mr. Mede has observed; and it was ordered by a bull of Pope Martin the Fifth, that no contract should be made with such, and that they should not follow any business and merchandise:

save he that had the mark;
took the oath to be true to the pope, or made a public profession of the Popish religion:

or the name of the beast;
Papists, so called from the pope; thus the antichristians are called from antichrist, as the Christians from Christ:

or the number of his name;
which is either the same with the number of the beast in ( Revelation 13:18 ) , or is something distinct it; and those who have it may be such persons who neither have the indelible character of the Romish clergy, nor are open professors of the Popish religion, but are in heart inclined to it, and privately and secretly promote it, by their doctrines and practices; and so are numbered, reckoned, esteemed, and accounted of by the Papists, and receive favours from them; or rather such who openly "furnish the drink offering" in the Mass, mixed with wine and water, (ynml) , "for that number", ( Isaiah 65:11 ) .

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Revelation 13:17 In-Context

15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,

17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.