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Grammar Analysis: Revelation 13:11-18 (The Earth-Beast Pericope)

Mode: Passage unit analysis (context-neutral) Scope: Rev 13:11-18 as a coherent discourse unit Aim: Verse-by-verse parsing, key grammatical features (ἵνα purpose chains, dative-to-genitive case shift, πνεῦμα δίδωμι construction, divine passive ἐδόθη, καί + ἵνα + subjunctive enforcement chains), and structural relationship to the sea-beast pericope of vv.1-10. No interpretive commitments drawn beyond what the grammar supports.

1. Text

v. Greek KJV
11 Καὶ εἶδον ἄλλο θηρίον ἀναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ εἶχεν κέρατα δύο ὅμοια ἀρνίῳ, καὶ ἐλάλει ὡς δράκων. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πρώτου θηρίου πᾶσαν ποιεῖ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. καὶ ποιεῖ τὴν γῆν καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικοῦντας ἵνα προσκυνήσουσιν τὸ θηρίον τὸ πρῶτον, οὗ ἐθεραπεύθη ἡ πληγὴ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 καὶ ποιεῖ σημεῖα μεγάλα, ἵνα καὶ πῦρ ποιῇ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνειν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 καὶ πλανᾷ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς διὰ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θηρίου, λέγων τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ποιῆσαι εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ, ὃς ἔχει τὴν πληγὴν τῆς μαχαίρης καὶ ἔζησεν. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δοῦναι πνεῦμα τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου, ἵνα καὶ λαλήσῃ ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ θηρίου, καὶ ποιήσῃ ἵνα ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ προσκυνήσωσιν τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου ἀποκτανθῶσιν. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 καὶ ποιεῖ πάντας, τοὺς μικροὺς καὶ τοὺς μεγάλους, καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους καὶ τοὺς πτωχούς, καὶ τοὺς ἐλευθέρους καὶ τοὺς δούλους, ἵνα δῶσιν αὐτοῖς χάραγμα ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν τῆς δεξιᾶς ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον αὐτῶν, And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 καὶ ἵνα μή τις δύνηται ἀγοράσαι ἢ πωλῆσαι εἰ μὴ ὁ ἔχων τὸ χάραγμα τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θηρίου ἢ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν. ὁ ἔχων νοῦν ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου· ἀριθμὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπου ἐστίν. καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτοῦ ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ. 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.

2. Verse-by-Verse Parsing Tables

Rev 13:11

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 Καὶ καί G2532 Conj
2 εἶδον ὁράω G3708 V-2AAI-1S (Aor Act Ind 1s)
3 ἄλλο ἄλλος G243 A-ASN (Acc Sg N)
4 θηρίον θηρίον G2342 N-ASN (Acc Sg N)
5 ἀναβαῖνον ἀναβαίνω G305 V-PAP-ASN (Pres Act Ptcp Acc Sg N)
6 ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ / γῆ G1537/G1093 Prep + N-GSF
7 εἶχεν ἔχω G2192 V-IAI-3S (Impf Act Ind 3s)
8 κέρατα δύο κέρας G2768 N-APN + numeral
9 ὅμοια ὅμοιος G3664 A-APN (Acc Pl N)
10 ἀρνίῳ ἀρνίον G721 N-DSN (Dat Sg N — dative of comparison/resemblance)
11 ἐλάλει λαλέω G2980 V-IAI-3S (Impf Act Ind 3s)
12 ὡς ὡς G5613 ADV (comparative)
13 δράκων δράκων G1404 N-NSM (Nom Sg M)

Verbal frame: one finite aorist (εἶδον, vision-event) + two imperfects (εἶχεν, ἐλάλει — descriptive background). The imperfect pair is significant: v.11 does not use present participles (as v.1 did for the sea-beast) but shifts to imperfect indicatives — giving the earth-beast a more settled, habitual characterization. The two imperfects describe ongoing possession and speech, not punctiliar events.

ἄλλο vs. ἕτερος: ἄλλος (G243, "another of the same kind") rather than ἕτερος (G2087, "another of a different kind"). This is a grammatical marker of similarity in category — the second θηρίον is the same kind of entity as the first.

Rev 13:12

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἐξουσία G1849 N-ASF (Acc Sg F — direct object)
2 τοῦ πρώτου θηρίου πρῶτος / θηρίον G4413/G2342 A-GSN + N-GSN (possessive/source genitive)
3 πᾶσαν πᾶς G3956 A-ASF (Acc Sg F — predicate position = "all")
4 ποιεῖ ποιέω G4160 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
5 ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον / αὐτός G1799/G846 Prep + P-GSN
6 ποιεῖ ποιέω G4160 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
7 τὴν γῆν … τοὺς κατοικοῦντας γῆ / κατοικέω G1093/G2730 N-ASF + V-PAP-APM (subst. ptcp)
8 ἵνα ἵνα G2443 Conj (purpose/result)
9 προσκυνήσουσιν προσκυνέω G4352 V-FAI-3P (Fut Act Ind 3p)
10 τὸ θηρίον τὸ πρῶτον θηρίον / πρῶτος G2342/G4413 N-ASN + A-ASN (accusative direct object)
11 οὗ ὅς G3739 R-GSN (relative, genitive of reference)
12 ἐθεραπεύθη θεραπεύω G2323 V-API-3S (Aor Pass Ind 3s)
13 ἡ πληγὴ τοῦ θανάτου πληγή / θάνατος G4127/G2288 N-NSF + N-GSM

Verbal frame: two present actives (ποιεῖ ×2 — ongoing/habitual activity), a future indicative after ἵνα (see §4.1 below — grammatically irregular), and a resumptive aorist passive ἐθεραπεύθη in the relative clause (linking back to v.3).

ποιεῖ + ἵνα + future indicative: This is the first ἵνα in the pericope and it takes a future indicative (προσκυνήσουσιν) rather than the expected subjunctive. This is a well-attested Johannine/Revelation variant; see §4.1 below.

ποιεῖ + accusative + ἵνα construction: ποιέω here functions as a causative ("he causes … that …"), taking a double object: accusative of the people caused (τὴν γῆν καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας) and the ἵνα-clause specifying the compelled action. This causative ποιέω + ἵνα is the structural backbone of vv.12-16.

Rev 13:13

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 ποιεῖ ποιέω G4160 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
2 σημεῖα μεγάλα σημεῖον / μέγας G4592/G3173 N-APN + A-APN
3 ἵνα ἵνα G2443 Conj (result/ecbatic)
4 καὶ καί G2532 Conj (ascensive: "even")
5 πῦρ πῦρ G4442 N-ASN (Acc Sg N — subject of inf.)
6 ποιῇ ποιέω G4160 V-PAS-3S (Pres Act Subj 3s)
7 ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐρανός G3772 Prep + N-GSM (source)
8 καταβαίνειν καταβαίνω G2597 V-PAN (Pres Act Inf)
9 ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐνώπιον / ἄνθρωπος G1799/G444 Prep + N-GPM

Verbal frame: present indicative ποιεῖ (the third ποιεῖ in the passage — see §5 below) + ἵνα + present subjunctive ποιῇ + present infinitive καταβαίνειν. Unlike v.12, here the ἵνα-clause takes the regular subjunctive form.

Ascensive καί: the καί after ἵνα is ascensive ("even," "so that even fire…"), highlighting the extraordinary nature of the sign.

ποιέω + infinitive construction: ποιῇ + πῦρ + καταβαίνειν = causative ποιέω with accusative subject (πῦρ) and complementary infinitive (καταβαίνειν) — "he causes fire to come down." This is a different syntax from v.12 (ποιεῖ + acc + ἵνα) but the same causative sense.

Rev 13:14

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 πλανᾷ πλανάω G4105 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
2 τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατοικέω / γῆ G2730/G1093 V-PAP-APM + Prep + N-GSF
3 διὰ τὰ σημεῖα σημεῖον G4592 Prep (causal) + N-APN
4 ἃ ὅς G3739 R-NPN (relative, nom — subject of ἐδόθη?)
5 ἐδόθη δίδωμι G1325 V-API-3S (Aor Pass Ind 3s)
6 αὐτῷ αὐτός G846 P-DSN (Dat Sg N — indirect object)
7 ποιῆσαι ποιέω G4160 V-AAN (Aor Act Inf — complementary)
8 ἐνώπιον τοῦ θηρίου ἐνώπιον / θηρίον G1799/G2342 Prep + N-GSN
9 λέγων λέγω G3004 V-PAP-NSM (Pres Act Ptcp Nom Sg M — discourse)
10 τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατοικέω / γῆ G2730/G1093 V-PAP-DPM + Prep + N-GSF
11 ποιῆσαι ποιέω G4160 V-AAN (Aor Act Inf — indirect command)
12 εἰκόνα εἰκών G1504 N-ASF (Acc Sg F)
13 τῷ θηρίῳ θηρίον G2342 N-DSN (Dat Sg N — dative of advantage/honor)
14 ὃς ὅς G3739 R-NSM (Nom Sg M — masculine, see §4.3)
15 ἔχει ἔχω G2192 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
16 τὴν πληγὴν πληγή G4127 N-ASF
17 τῆς μαχαίρης μάχαιρα G3162 N-GSF (Gen Sg F — gen of means/source)
18 ἔζησεν ζάω G2198 V-AAI-3S (Aor Act Ind 3s)

Verbal frame: present πλανᾷ (ongoing deception) → aorist passive ἐδόθη (divine passive — the signs were given to perform) → discourse participle λέγων (introducing indirect command) → two aorist infinitives ποιῆσαι (first: complementary to ἐδόθη; second: indirect command after λέγων) → present ἔχει + aorist ἔζησεν (constative: "lived" = came back to life).

ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι: This is the same divine-passive-plus-infinitive construction as vv.5, 7 of the sea-beast pericope. The earth-beast's miracle-working authority is framed with the identical granted-permission syntax. See grammar-reference/greek/divine-passive.md.

λέγων + dative + infinitive: λέγων τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν … ποιῆσαι εἰκόνα — the present participle of discourse (λέγων) introduces an indirect command via the aorist infinitive ποιῆσαι. The indirect-object dative (τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν) receives the command. This is standard discourse-participle syntax; see grammar-reference/greek/participle-legon-discourse.md.

εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ: the image is made "for/to the beast" — the dative τῷ θηρίῳ is a dative of advantage (or possibly honor/dedication). This is the first mention of the εἰκών, and the beast here is marked in the dative case. This will shift to the genitive in v.15 — see §4.3 below.

ὃς (masculine) for θηρίον (neuter): the relative pronoun ὃς is masculine nominative singular, not the expected neuter ὅ to agree with τῷ θηρίῳ (neut.). This is constructio ad sensum — the relative follows the logical gender of the personal referent behind the neuter θηρίον. See grammar-reference/greek/constructio-ad-sensum.md and grammar-reference/greek/concord-shift-neuter-to-masculine.md.

Rev 13:15

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 ἐδόθη δίδωμι G1325 V-API-3S (Aor Pass Ind 3s)
2 αὐτῷ αὐτός G846 P-DSN (Dat Sg N)
3 δοῦναι δίδωμι G1325 V-2AAN (Aor Act Inf)
4 πνεῦμα πνεῦμα G4151 N-ASN (Acc Sg N)
5 τῇ εἰκόνι εἰκών G1504 N-DSF (Dat Sg F — indirect object)
6 τοῦ θηρίου θηρίον G2342 N-GSN (Gen Sg N — possessive/objective genitive)
7 ἵνα ἵνα G2443 Conj (purpose)
8 καὶ καί G2532 Conj (ascensive: "even, also")
9 λαλήσῃ λαλέω G2980 V-AAS-3S (Aor Act Subj 3s)
10 ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ θηρίου εἰκών / θηρίον G1504/G2342 N-NSF + N-GSN (subject)
11 ποιήσῃ ποιέω G4160 V-AAS-3S (Aor Act Subj 3s)
12 ἵνα ἵνα G2443 Conj (purpose — nested)
13 ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ ὅσος / ἐάν / μή G3745/G1437/G3361 K-NPM + Cond + Neg
14 προσκυνήσωσιν προσκυνέω G4352 V-AAS-3P (Aor Act Subj 3p)
15 τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου εἰκών / θηρίον G1504/G2342 N-DSF + N-GSN
16 ἀποκτανθῶσιν ἀποκτείνω G615 V-APS-3P (Aor Pass Subj 3p)

Verbal frame: This verse is the most grammatically dense in the pericope. It contains: (1) the ἐδόθη + infinitive divine passive, (2) the unique πνεῦμα-δίδωμι construction, (3) a nested double ἵνα chain, and (4) a conditional-relative clause inside the second ἵνα. The full clause architecture is analyzed in §4.1 and §4.2 below.

ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δοῦναι πνεῦμα: A double-δίδωμι construction — the passive ἐδόθη ("it was given") takes the active infinitive δοῦναι ("to give") as its complement. The same root appears twice in different voices: "it was given [to him] to give." This is the πνεῦμα δίδωμι construction — see §4.2 below.

τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου: The image is now referred to with a genitive modifier (τοῦ θηρίου) rather than the dative of v.14 (εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ). See §4.3 for the dative-to-genitive shift.

Rev 13:16

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 ποιεῖ ποιέω G4160 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
2 πάντας πᾶς G3956 A-APM (Acc Pl M)
3 τοὺς μικροὺς καὶ τοὺς μεγάλους μικρός / μέγας G3398/G3173 A-APM + A-APM (merism pair 1)
4 τοὺς πλουσίους καὶ τοὺς πτωχούς πλούσιος / πτωχός G4145/G4434 A-APM + A-APM (merism pair 2)
5 τοὺς ἐλευθέρους καὶ τοὺς δούλους ἐλεύθερος / δοῦλος G1658/G1401 A-APM + N-APM (merism pair 3)
6 ἵνα ἵνα G2443 Conj (purpose/result)
7 δῶσιν δίδωμι G1325 V-2AAS-3P (Aor Act Subj 3p)
8 αὐτοῖς αὐτός G846 P-DPM (Dat Pl M)
9 χάραγμα χάραγμα G5480 N-ASN (Acc Sg N)
10 ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς … τῆς δεξιᾶς χείρ / δεξιός G5495/G1188 Prep + N-GSF + A-GSF (locative gen)
11 ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον αὐτῶν μέτωπον G3359 Prep + N-ASN (locative acc)

Verbal frame: present ποιεῖ (the fifth occurrence of this verb in the pericope) + ἵνα + aorist subjunctive δῶσιν (3p — indefinite "they" subject). This is the ποιεῖ + ἵνα + subjunctive pattern in its regular form (contrast v.12's future indicative after ἵνα).

Triple merism: The three pairs (μικροὺς/μεγάλους, πλουσίους/πτωχούς, ἐλευθέρους/δούλους) are all substantive adjectives in the accusative plural, each pair preceded by articular τούς. This is a rhetorical exhaustion figure (merism) — three opposite-pairs cover the totality of humanity. All six terms are accusative, functioning as appositional expansion of πάντας.

δῶσιν (3p subject shift): The subject of δῶσιν ("they give") is impersonal/indefinite third plural — an agent-shift from the earth-beast (3s ποιεῖ) to the agents who actually administer the mark. The ἵνα + subjunctive clause thus has a different grammatical subject than the main verb.

Case alternation in ἐπί phrases: ἐπὶ τῆς χειρός (genitive = location/surface) vs. ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον (accusative = direction/placement). The genitive with ἐπί implies "on/upon" as static location; the accusative implies motion toward or placement upon. This case alternation may be a stylistic variant rather than a semantic distinction, as Revelation's Greek frequently alternates preposition-case patterns.

Rev 13:17

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 καὶ καί G2532 Conj
2 ἵνα ἵνα G2443 Conj (purpose — continues from v.16)
3 μή τις μή / τίς G3361/G5100 Neg + X-NSM (indef. pronoun)
4 δύνηται δύναμαι G1410 V-PNS-3S (Pres M/P Subj 3s)
5 ἀγοράσαι ἀγοράζω G59 V-AAN (Aor Act Inf)
6 ἢ ἤ G2228 PRT (disjunctive)
7 πωλῆσαι πωλέω G4453 V-AAN (Aor Act Inf)
8 εἰ μὴ εἰ / μή G1487/G3361 Cond + Neg (exception: "except")
9 ὁ ἔχων ἔχω G2192 V-PAP-NSM (subst. ptcp — "the one having")
10 τὸ χάραγμα χάραγμα G5480 N-ASN
11 τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θηρίου ὄνομα / θηρίον G3686/G2342 N-ASN + N-GSN
12 ἢ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἀριθμός / ὄνομα G706/G3686 N-ASM + N-GSN + P-GSN

Verbal frame: ἵνα + present subjunctive δύνηται + two complementary aorist infinitives (ἀγοράσαι, πωλῆσαι). The ἵνα here is a continuation from v.16 — the second purpose clause governed by v.16's ποιεῖ. See §4.1 for the full chain analysis.

εἰ μὴ exception clause: The standard Greek idiom for "except/unless" — εἰ μή introduces the sole condition under which buying/selling is permitted.

Three-fold apposition: τὸ χάραγμα, τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θηρίου, ἢ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ — the mark is defined as consisting in (or equivalent to) the name, or the number of the name. The three accusatives (χάραγμα, ὄνομα, ἀριθμόν) stand in an appositional or explanatory relationship, connected by ἤ (disjunctive "or"). The genitive chain τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ("of his name") creates a three-deep genitive dependency: ἀριθμόν → ὀνόματος → αὐτοῦ.

Rev 13:18

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 Ὧδε ὧδε G5602 ADV ("here")
2 ἡ σοφία σοφία G4678 N-NSF (subject)
3 ἐστίν εἰμί G1510 V-PAI-3S (Pres Act Ind 3s)
4 ὁ ἔχων ἔχω G2192 V-PAP-NSM (subst. ptcp)
5 νοῦν νοῦς G3563 N-ASM (object)
6 ψηφισάτω ψηφίζω G5585 V-AAM-3S (Aor Act Impv 3s)
7 τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου ἀριθμός / θηρίον G706/G2342 N-ASM + N-GSN
8 ἀριθμὸς … ἀνθρώπου ἀριθμός / ἄνθρωπος G706/G444 N-NSM + N-GSM
9 γὰρ γάρ G1063 Conj (explanatory)
10 ἐστίν εἰμί G1510 V-PAI-3S
11 ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ — G1812/G1835/G1803 Numerals

Verbal frame: Ὧδε … ἐστίν parallels v.10's Ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή — the same deictic + copula formula marking a paraenetic aside. The aorist imperative ψηφισάτω (3s "let him calculate") is a punctiliar command (see grammar-reference/greek/mood-aorist-imperative.md).

ἀριθμὸς … ἀνθρώπου: anarthrous ἀνθρώπου (genitive singular) — "a number of a man" (qualitative/characteristic genitive) rather than "the number of the man" (specific referent). The absence of the article on ἀνθρώπου leaves the genitive semantically open between "belonging to a human being" (possessive) and "characteristic of humanity" (qualitative).

3. Aspectual / Tense Map

All finite verbs and significant non-finite forms in textual order:

v. Form Lemma Tense Voice Mood Function
11 εἶδον ὁράω Aor Act Ind vision-event (narrative backbone)
11 εἶχεν ἔχω Impf Act Ind descriptive background (habitual possession)
11 ἐλάλει λαλέω Impf Act Ind descriptive background (habitual speech)
12 ποιεῖ ποιέω Pres Act Ind ongoing/habitual action
12 ποιεῖ ποιέω Pres Act Ind causative (earth-dwellers to worship)
12 προσκυνήσουσιν προσκυνέω Fut Act Ind future after ἵνα (irregular)
12 ἐθεραπεύθη θεραπεύω Aor Pass Ind resumptive (v.3 echo)
13 ποιεῖ ποιέω Pres Act Ind ongoing sign-working
13 ποιῇ ποιέω Pres Act Subj ἵνα purpose clause
14 πλανᾷ πλανάω Pres Act Ind ongoing deception
14 ἐδόθη δίδωμι Aor Pass Ind divine passive (sign-authority)
14 ἔχει ἔχω Pres Act Ind present state (wound)
14 ἔζησεν ζάω Aor Act Ind constative ("lived/came alive")
15 ἐδόθη δίδωμι Aor Pass Ind divine passive (πνεῦμα-giving)
15 λαλήσῃ λαλέω Aor Act Subj ἵνα purpose (image speaks)
15 ποιήσῃ ποιέω Aor Act Subj ἵνα purpose (image causes)
15 προσκυνήσωσιν προσκυνέω Aor Act Subj nested ἵνα (worship condition)
15 ἀποκτανθῶσιν ἀποκτείνω Aor Pass Subj death decree
16 ποιεῖ ποιέω Pres Act Ind causative (mark-receiving)
16 δῶσιν δίδωμι Aor Act Subj ἵνα purpose (mark given)
17 δύνηται δύναμαι Pres M/P Subj ἵνα negative purpose (no buying/selling)
18 ἐστίν (×2) εἰμί Pres Act Ind copula (deictic formula)
18 ψηφισάτω ψηφίζω Aor Act Impv command (calculate)

Aspectual summary by tense

Tense Count Function in this unit
Aorist (Ind) 4 (εἶδον, ἐθεραπεύθη, ἐδόθη ×2 — one in v.14, one in v.15; ἔζησεν) Narrative backbone + divine passive
Aorist (Subj) 5 (λαλήσῃ, ποιήσῃ, προσκυνήσωσιν, ἀποκτανθῶσιν, δῶσιν) ἵνα purpose clauses
Aorist (Impv) 1 (ψηφισάτω) Paraenetic command
Aorist (Inf) 4 (ποιῆσαι ×2, δοῦναι, ἀγοράσαι/πωλῆσαι) Complementary infinitives
Present (Ind) 7 (ποιεῖ ×4, πλανᾷ, ἔχει, ἐστίν ×2) Ongoing/habitual/descriptive
Present (Subj) 2 (ποιῇ, δύνηται) ἵνα clauses
Imperfect 2 (εἶχεν, ἐλάλει) Background description
Future 1 (προσκυνήσουσιν) Irregular ἵνα + future

Load-bearing observations

  1. Present indicative dominance. Unlike the sea-beast pericope (dominated by aorists), the earth-beast pericope is driven by present-tense main verbs (7 of 14 finite indicatives). The earth-beast's activity is framed as ongoing, habitual, present-tense action rather than as narrative events viewed as wholes. This contrasts sharply with the aorist-backbone of vv.1-10.

  2. ποιέω saturation. The verb ποιέω occurs 9 times across vv.12-16 (4 present indicative, 2 present subjunctive/aorist subjunctive, 2 aorist infinitive, 1 aorist subjunctive). It is the structurally dominant verb of the pericope. The earth-beast is grammatically characterized as "the one who makes/causes/does."

  3. ἐδόθη count drops. The sea-beast pericope has four ἐδόθη's (vv.5, 7). The earth-beast pericope has only two (v.14, v.15). The earth-beast's authority is derived (it acts ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, "in his presence/on his behalf"), so fewer direct divine-passive grants appear.

  4. ἵνα clauses carry the enforcement mechanism. Verses 12-17 contain six ἵνα clauses (the highest density in Revelation). Each successive ἵνα specifies the purpose or result of the earth-beast's ποιεῖ-activity. This is the grammatical engine of the passage. See §4.1.

4. Key Grammatical Features

4.1 The ἵνα Purpose Chain Structure (vv.12-17)

The most distinctive syntactic feature of this pericope is the cascading chain of ἵνα-clauses. Six ἵνα-clauses appear in rapid succession, structurally layered:

v.12  ποιεῖ τὴν γῆν ... ἵνα προσκυνήσουσιν (FUT IND)    ← worship compulsion
v.13  ποιεῖ σημεῖα ... ἵνα πῦρ ποιῇ καταβαίνειν (PRES SUBJ) ← sign authentication
v.15a ἐδόθη ... δοῦναι πνεῦμα ... ἵνα λαλήσῃ (AOR SUBJ)  ← image speaks
v.15b     καὶ ποιήσῃ ἵνα ... ἀποκτανθῶσιν (AOR SUBJ)    ← NESTED: death decree
v.16  ποιεῖ πάντας ... ἵνα δῶσιν χάραγμα (AOR SUBJ)      ← mark imposed
v.17  καὶ ἵνα μή τις δύνηται ἀγοράσαι (PRES SUBJ)       ← economic enforcement

Structural analysis:

  1. v.12: ἵνα + future indicative. The form προσκυνήσουσιν (V-FAI-3P) after ἵνα is morphologically future indicative, not aorist subjunctive. In classical Greek, ἵνα always takes the subjunctive. In Koine and especially in Revelation, ἵνα + future indicative appears as a variant construction. The phenomenon is well documented in Revelation (cf. Rev 3:9 ἵνα ἥξουσιν; 6:4 ἵνα … σφάξουσιν; 8:3 ἵνα δώσει; 9:4 ἵνα … βασανισθήσονται — textual variants show the copyist tradition struggled with these forms). BDF §369(2) treats this as a Semitizing tendency influenced by Hebrew/Aramaic purpose constructions where the imperfect can serve in purpose clauses. Wallace notes it as a rare but genuine Koine phenomenon (ExSyn 473–474). In this verse the construction may signal a stronger predictive certainty about the worship — less "in order that they might worship" (potential) and more "so that they shall worship" (assured outcome).

  2. v.13: ἵνα + present subjunctive. Regular construction. The present subjunctive ποιῇ (rather than aorist) may emphasize the ongoing/repeated nature of the sign-making.

  3. v.15: Nested double ἵνα. This is the most syntactically complex verse. The structure is:

  4. Level 1: ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δοῦναι πνεῦμα τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου — main clause (divine passive + infinitive)
  5. Level 2: ἵνα καὶ λαλήσῃ ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ θηρίου — first purpose clause (image speaks)
  6. Level 2 continued: καὶ ποιήσῃ — coordinated with λαλήσῃ (image also causes)
  7. Level 3: ἵνα ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ προσκυνήσωσιν … ἀποκτανθῶσιν — second ἵνα, nested inside the first, specifying what the image "causes"

The nested ἵνα creates a three-tier purpose chain: it was given → so that the image might speak and cause → so that whoever does not worship might be killed. Each ἵνα adds a layer of purpose/result to the preceding clause.

  1. vv.16-17: καί + ἵνα continuation. The ἵνα of v.17 (καὶ ἵνα μή τις δύνηται) is coordinated with the ἵνα of v.16 by καί. Both ἵνα-clauses depend on the same main verb ποιεῖ (v.16). The two purposes of the mark are: (a) the mark is given (v.16 ἵνα δῶσιν), and (b) no one can buy/sell without it (v.17 ἵνα μή τις δύνηται). The second ἵνα is negative purpose (ἵνα μή).

Summary: The six ἵνα-clauses form a progressive enforcement escalation: worship → signs → image animating → death decree → mark → economic exclusion. Each ἵνα grammatically subordinates a new compulsion to the earth-beast's main-verb ποιεῖ-activity. The chain is the syntactic embodiment of the coercive program.

4.2 The πνεῦμα δίδωμι Construction (v.15)

Construction: ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δοῦναι πνεῦμα τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου

This is a double-δίδωμι — the same verb appears in passive finite form (ἐδόθη) and active infinitive form (δοῦναι) in the same clause. "It was given to him to give breath/spirit to the image of the beast."

Grammatical analysis:

  1. ἐδόθη (V-API-3S) — aorist passive indicative of δίδωμι. Divine passive: the unnamed agent who grants the earth-beast this capacity. See grammar-reference/greek/divine-passive.md.

  2. δοῦναι (V-2AAN) — aorist active infinitive of δίδωμι. Complementary infinitive specifying what was "given" — the ability to give. The double-δίδωμι creates a meta-giving construction: the permission (ἐδόθη) and the action permitted (δοῦναι) use the same lexeme.

  3. πνεῦμα (N-ASN) — accusative, direct object of δοῦναι. The term is semantically loaded: πνεῦμα can mean "spirit," "breath," or "wind" (see word-studies/G4151-pneuma.md). In this grammatical context (δοῦναι πνεῦμα + dative recipient), the construction echoes the life-giving idiom found in Gen 2:7 LXX (ἐνεφύσησεν … πνοὴν ζωῆς), Ezek 37:5-6 LXX (δίδωμι … πνεῦμα ζωῆς), and the broader OT pattern of God giving πνεῦμα/πνοή to creation.

  4. τῇ εἰκόνι (N-DSF) — dative indirect object: the image receives the πνεῦμα.

Theological-grammatical observation: The construction is formally identical to the OT divine prerogative of giving breath/life. The grammar frames the earth-beast as a delegated agent (ἐδόθη = received permission) performing a divine-type act (δοῦναι πνεῦμα = giving spirit/breath). The double-δίδωμι underscores the derived nature of the capacity — the earth-beast cannot autonomously animate; it is given to give.

Parallels in Revelation's ἐδόθη inventory:

Reference Construction Content
Rev 13:5 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ … ποιῆσαι authority to act (42 months)
Rev 13:7 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι πόλεμον to make war
Rev 13:14 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι to perform (signs)
Rev 13:15 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δοῦναι πνεῦμα to give spirit/breath
Rev 16:8 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ καυματίσαι to scorch

The v.15 instance is unique in that the complementary infinitive is δοῦναι (same root as the main verb), creating the double-δίδωμι. All other instances use a different verb for the complement.

4.3 The Dative-to-Genitive Case Shift in εἰκών/θηρίον References

The relationship between the image (εἰκών) and the beast (θηρίον) is expressed in two different case constructions within this pericope:

Reference Construction Case of θηρίον Semantic Relationship
v.14 ποιῆσαι εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ Dative image made for/to the beast
v.15a τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου Genitive image of the beast
v.15b ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ θηρίου Genitive image of the beast
v.15c τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου Genitive image of the beast

Analysis:

  1. v.14 dative (τῷ θηρίῳ): The beast is the beneficiary of the image-making. The dative is a dative of advantage — the image is constructed "for" or "in honor of" the beast. This is the natural case when the image is first introduced in the context of its creation (ποιῆσαι εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ = "to make an image for/to the beast").

  2. v.15 genitive (τοῦ θηρίου ×3): Once the image exists and has received πνεῦμα, the beast-referent shifts to the genitive. The genitive here functions as a genitive of relationship/origin — "the image of the beast" identifies the image as belonging to, representing, or deriving from the beast. The image is no longer being made for the beast (dative = goal/beneficiary) but is now identified with the beast (genitive = source/possession/representation).

  3. The shift marks a stage transition: The dative in v.14 corresponds to the construction phase (the image is being made for someone). The genitive in v.15 corresponds to the operation phase (the image now belongs to and represents the beast). The case shift thus tracks a semantic transition from dedicatory relationship (dative) to possessive/representative relationship (genitive).

  4. Broader pattern: This same dative-to-genitive transition is visible in idol-making language in the LXX and wider Hellenistic Greek: the beneficiary dative appears at the point of manufacture, and the possessive genitive appears when referring to the finished product. The grammar marks the difference between "to whom it is made" and "whose it is."

4.4 The Divine Passive ἐδόθη (vv.14, 15)

Two ἐδόθη instances appear in this pericope (vs. four in vv.1-10):

v. Construction Complement Content
14 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι ἃ (= σημεῖα) sign-performing authority
15 ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δοῦναι πνεῦμα πνεῦμα + τῇ εἰκόνι image-animating authority

Both follow the standard Revelation ἐδόθη + dative + infinitive formula (see grammar-reference/greek/divine-passive.md). The unnamed agent of the passive is the same as in vv.5, 7 — God's sovereign permission, operating through the mediating agency chain.

Key distinction from vv.1-10: In the sea-beast pericope, the dragon is explicitly named as the active giver in v.2 (ἔδωκεν … ὁ δράκων), and the subsequent ἐδόθη's leave the agent unnamed. In the earth-beast pericope, no active giving by the dragon is stated — the earth-beast enters under ἐδόθη from the start (v.14). The entire earth-beast's authority-chain is framed in the passive voice.

4.5 The καί + ἵνα + Subjunctive Enforcement Chains (vv.15-17)

The enforcement mechanism of the death decree and the mark is grammatically structured as a series of coordinated ἵνα-clauses linked by καί:

v.15  ἵνα καὶ λαλήσῃ ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ θηρίου         [purpose 1: speak]
      καὶ ποιήσῃ                                    [purpose 2: cause]
           ἵνα ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ προσκυνήσωσιν …        [nested purpose: death]
                ἀποκτανθῶσιν

v.16  ποιεῖ πάντας …                               [main verb]
      ἵνα δῶσιν αὐτοῖς χάραγμα                    [purpose 3: mark]

v.17  καὶ ἵνα μή τις δύνηται ἀγοράσαι ἢ πωλῆσαι  [purpose 4: economic exclusion]

The coordination pattern: Each successive enforcement measure is added with καί + ἵνα (or καί within the ἵνα-clause). This is not loose parataxis but a deliberate escalation chain where each καί adds a new layer of enforcement: - v.15: the image speaks and (καί) causes death for non-worshippers - v.16: the beast causes all to receive the mark - v.17: and (καί) no one can buy or sell without it

The καί connecting vv.16-17 is structurally significant: the ἵνα of v.17 depends on the same ποιεῖ of v.16, making the mark-imposition and the economic sanction two purposes of a single causative action, not two separate actions.

Conditional-relative inside ἵνα (v.15): The clause ὅσοι ἐὰν μὴ προσκυνήσωσιν is a conditional relative clause (ὅσοι = "whoever," ἐάν + subjunctive = indefinite condition). The negative μή negates the condition: "whoever does not worship." The ἐάν + subjunctive inside the ἵνα + subjunctive creates a double-subjunctive embedding — rare in the NT and characteristic of Revelation's complex subordination style.

5. ποιέω Saturation: The Earth-Beast's Signature Verb

The verb ποιέω (G4160) appears 9 times in vv.12-16, making it by far the most frequent verb in the pericope:

v. Form Parsing Construction
12a ποιεῖ V-PAI-3S τὴν ἐξουσίαν … πᾶσαν ποιεῖ ("exercises all authority")
12b ποιεῖ V-PAI-3S ποιεῖ τὴν γῆν … ἵνα ("causes the earth … that")
13a ποιεῖ V-PAI-3S ποιεῖ σημεῖα μεγάλα ("performs great signs")
13b ποιῇ V-PAS-3S ἵνα πῦρ ποιῇ καταβαίνειν ("so that he causes fire to descend")
14a ποιῆσαι V-AAN ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι ("it was given to him to perform")
14b ποιῆσαι V-AAN λέγων … ποιῆσαι εἰκόνα ("saying … to make an image")
15 ποιήσῃ V-AAS-3S ἵνα … ποιήσῃ ("so that [the image] causes")
16 ποιεῖ V-PAI-3S ποιεῖ πάντας … ἵνα ("causes all … that")

Three distinct senses of ποιέω in this pericope: 1. "Exercise/perform" (v.12a: exercises authority; v.13a: performs signs; v.14a: perform signs) 2. "Cause/compel" (v.12b, v.13b, v.15, v.16: causative — ποιεῖ + acc + ἵνα, or ποιεῖ + acc + inf) 3. "Make/construct" (v.14b: make an image)

The causative use is dominant (5 of 9 occurrences), reinforcing the earth-beast's grammatical identity as a compelling agent — one who makes others do things. This contrasts with the sea-beast, whose actions in vv.1-10 are described with diverse verbs (ἀναβαίνω, ἔχω, λαλέω, ἀνοίγω, βλασφημέω, πολεμέω, νικάω) rather than the monotonous ποιέω.

6. Structural Outline — Relation to vv.1-10

6.1 Parallel structure between sea-beast and earth-beast pericopes

Feature vv.1-10 (Sea-beast) vv.11-18 (Earth-beast)
Vision formula εἶδον + ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης (v.1) εἶδον + ἐκ τῆς γῆς (v.11)
Description tense pres ptcps ἀναβαῖνον, ἔχον (v.1) impf indicatives εἶχεν, ἐλάλει (v.11)
Authority source ἔδωκεν (active, dragon, v.2) ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ (before the 1st beast, v.12)
Divine passive count ἐδόθη ×4 (vv.5, 7) ἐδόθη ×2 (vv.14, 15)
Main verb diverse (8+ different verbs) ποιέω (9 occurrences)
ἵνα clauses 0 6
Closing formula Ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονὴ … (v.10) Ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν (v.18)
Aorist imperative ἀκουσάτω (v.9) ψηφισάτω (v.18)
Worship verb προσκυνέω (vv.4, 8) προσκυνέω (vv.12, 15)

6.2 The voice/tense contrast

The sea-beast pericope is driven by aorist indicatives (narrative-event backbone). The earth-beast pericope is driven by present indicatives (ongoing-habitual backbone). This aspect-shift maps a functional distinction: the sea-beast's career is narrated as a series of completed events; the earth-beast's activity is depicted as ongoing, present-tense enforcement.

6.3 The ἵνα contrast

Zero ἵνα clauses in vv.1-10 vs. six in vv.11-18. The enforcement/compulsion mechanism is grammatically encoded exclusively in the earth-beast's half of the chapter. The sea-beast receives authority; the earth-beast deploys it through purpose-clause chains.

6.4 Closing formula comparison

v.10 v.18
Ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις τῶν ἁγίων Ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν
"Here is the patience and faith of the saints" "Here is wisdom"
Addressed to saints: endurance Addressed to saints: discernment
εἴ τις + ἀκουσάτω (hearing formula) ὁ ἔχων νοῦν + ψηφισάτω (calculating formula)
Aorist imperative of ἀκούω Aorist imperative of ψηφίζω

Both closings use the Ὧδε + ἐστίν deictic formula + a 3rd-person aorist imperative. The grammatical parallelism (same syntax, different vocabulary) marks these as matched paraenetic conclusions to the two halves of the chapter.

7. Cross-References

Grammar library

  • grammar-reference/greek/divine-passive.md — covers ἐδόθη (vv.14, 15); includes Rev 13:14-15 in the Revelation ἐδόθη inventory
  • grammar-reference/greek/mood-aorist-imperative.md — covers ψηφισάτω (v.18)
  • grammar-reference/greek/participle-legon-discourse.md — covers λέγων (v.14)
  • grammar-reference/greek/constructio-ad-sensum.md — covers ὅς (masc.) for θηρίον (neut.) in v.14
  • grammar-reference/greek/concord-shift-neuter-to-masculine.md — related discussion of gender shifts with θηρίον references
  • grammar-reference/greek/aorist-passive-indicative.md — covers ἐθεραπεύθη (v.12 echo), ἐδόθη (vv.14, 15)
  • grammar-reference/greek/genitive-of-quality-apposition.md — relevant to τοῦ θηρίου genitive in εἰκὼν τοῦ θηρίου
  • grammar-reference/passages/rev-13-1-10.md — companion passage analysis for the sea-beast pericope
  • Gap flagged: no dedicated entry yet for ἵνα + future indicative (Revelation/Koine variant), nested ἵνα chains, causative ποιέω + ἵνα, or dative of advantage vs. genitive of possession/source with εἰκών.

Word studies

  • word-studies/G4160-poieo.md — ποιέω (9× in vv.12-16)
  • word-studies/G4151-pneuma.md — πνεῦμα (v.15)
  • word-studies/G1504-eikon.md — εἰκών (vv.14, 15)
  • word-studies/G5480-charagma.md — χάραγμα (vv.16, 17)
  • word-studies/G1325-didomi.md — δίδωμι (ἐδόθη vv.14, 15; δοῦναι v.15; δῶσιν v.16)
  • word-studies/G4352-proskyneo.md — προσκυνέω (vv.12, 15)
  • word-studies/G1849-exousia.md — ἐξουσία (v.12)
  • word-studies/G2342-therion.md — θηρίον (throughout)
  • word-studies/G2323-therapeuo.md — θεραπεύω (v.12 resumptive reference)
  • word-studies/TR-ruach-pneuma.md — translation-relation study for πνεῦμα
  • word-studies/TR-asah-poieo.md — translation-relation study for ποιέω

Tools used

  • D:/bible/tools/greek/greek_parser.py --verse "REV 13:N" for N = 11..18
  • D:/bible/tools/data/kjv.txt for English text

8. Executive Summary (for downstream studies)

  • Tense dominance: Present indicative (7 instances) dominates the earth-beast pericope — ongoing/habitual characterization, not event-narrative. Contrast with the aorist-dominant sea-beast pericope.
  • ποιέω saturation: 9 occurrences of ποιέω in 5 verses (vv.12-16), primarily in the causative sense ("cause/compel"). The earth-beast is grammatically characterized as "the compelling agent."
  • ἵνα chain architecture: Six ἵνα-clauses (vv.12-17) form a progressive enforcement escalation: forced worship → miraculous signs → image animation → death decree → mark imposition → economic exclusion. Includes one nested double-ἵνα (v.15) and one irregular ἵνα + future indicative (v.12).
  • πνεῦμα δίδωμι construction (v.15): Double-δίδωμι (ἐδόθη … δοῦναι πνεῦμα) — the earth-beast is given the capacity to give breath. Formally echoes the OT divine life-giving idiom (Ezek 37:5-6 LXX).
  • Dative-to-genitive shift (vv.14-15): εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ (dative of advantage, construction phase) → εἰκόνι τοῦ θηρίου (genitive of possession/representation, operation phase). The case shift marks the transition from image-making to image-functioning.
  • Divine passive ἐδόθη ×2 (vv.14, 15) — fewer than the sea-beast's four, reflecting the earth-beast's derivative authority. No active ἔδωκεν with named agent appears in this pericope.
  • Constructio ad sensum (v.14): masculine relative ὅς for neuter antecedent θηρίον — the personal referent overrides grammatical gender.
  • Closing formula Ὧδε … ἐστίν + aorist imperative (v.18) parallels v.10's formula exactly in syntax, switching from ἀκουσάτω (hear) to ψηφισάτω (calculate) — endurance vs. discernment as the paired audience-responses to the two beasts.