These days, delusion has taken over many hearts

WILL THE ANTICHRIST BE PERMITTED TO FORCE PEOPLE TO RECEIVE THE MARK?

This is not a delusion, but I will argue that there is a mistranslation here. The New American Bible (Catholic) reads,

Revelation 13:15 It was then permitted to breathe life into the beast’s image, so that the beast’s image could speak and [could] have anyone who did not worship it put to +death.

This is supported by the NKJV,

Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and +kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”

However, this does not mean that the antichrist will be permitted to FORCE people to receive the mark. The NAB translation reads,

Revelation 13:16 It FORCED all the people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to be given a stamped image on their right hands or their foreheads,

The antichrist may issue an ultimatum, “Receive the *mark or ^die.” However, the choice is really between **hell (receive the mark) or ^^heaven (refuse the mark):

Revelation 14:9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his *mark on his forehead or on his hand,

Revelation 14:10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the **wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 14:12 Here is the ‪#‎patience‬ of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ^^’Blessed are the dead who ^die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” NKJV

‪#‎S5281‬ Synonyms: hopeful from S5278; S5281 Christ’s patience Revelation 3:1; S5281 is the temper which does not easily succumb under suffering, is opposed to cowardice or despondency; S3115 is the self restraint which does not hastily retaliate a wrong, is opposed to **wrath and revenge. Page 1431, The New Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, 2001, Nelson.

I don’t think the antichrist will be able to FORCE people to receive the mark against their own free will because God is in control. However, this figure may use fear or deception to get or coerce people to receive the mark.

I have employed ‘Young’s Analytical Concordance.’ Does “require” have the same force as “causeth” or “FORCED”?

To do a proper word study, search:

…………………………….p
English words:…Concordance….1 – 1090
Hebrew words:….Lexicon…….+1 – 56
Greek words:…..Lexicon……+57 – 93

This study examines the word “requires” in Revelation 13:16. The Holman Christian Standard Bible has that the antichrist “requires” people to receive the mark, whereas the King James Version has that the antichrist “causeth” people to receive the mark. The NIV reads that people will be “FORCED” to take the mark, whereas the NKJV has “causes” people to receive the mark. Does the Gk word here, “poieo” (see p 150), imply causality?

The reason I ask this question is that, when the religious leaders were “requiring” that Christ be crucified in Lk 23:23 (KJV; although a different Gk word, “aiteo” is used here (see p 809), it is the same Eng word), they didn’t directly cause Christ to be crucified because Pilate was able to choose the sentence. In Revelation 13:16, the antichrist may not be able to directly cause people to receive the mark. However, the antichrist may indirectly cause people to receive the mark. The point is that Christians will be able to choose whether to receive the mark, but the antichrist, like Pilate, will choose the immediate sentence.

Here is another example:

Revelation 13:15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. NKJV

Hence, the antichrist will not cause people to worship the image, but this figure will cause Christians to be killed if they choose not to worship the image.

Could the KJV translators have substituted “requiring” for “causeth” in Revelation 13:16? The KJV never translates “aiteo” as “causeth” (p +57) and it never translates “poieo” as “requiring” (p +86). So these Eng words are not interchangeable in these contexts in the KJV. However, there is a degree of inter-changeability across translations. For example, the HCSB has “requires” for “poieo” (see chart below). The chart shows that the HCSB has “demanding” for the Gk word “aiteo” in Luke 23:23. We should note that by their “demanding,” the religious leaders put “pressure” (Strong’s number 1945; KJV “instant”) on Pilate and this resulted in Pilate changing his mind.

………………….Translation
Verse…………..HCSB………KJV……..Strong’s
Lk23:23……….demanding…requiring…….154
Rev13:16……….requires….causeth……..4160

In the Eng, the word “causes” may have more force than “requires.” However, the word “requires” carries literal force in the sense that what is “required” can have life and death consequences. People will not be FORCED to receive the mark against their will, but if they choose not to receive the mark, it may cost them their life.

In the Gk, the word “poieo” appears to have greater force than “aiteo.” In the KJV, “aiteo” has been translated as “ask” (see p +57), but “poieo” has not been translated as “ask” (see p +86). The Gk word “aitea” seems to be a relation of “aiteo” and it has been translated as “cause” (p +57). The Gk word “aitema” has been translated “require” (p +57).

I choose not to receive the mark so that I may receive spiritual life from Christ,

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

See the warning about receiving the mark in Revelation 19:20 (p 1075).

Symbol # in Young’s = adds “to be” (see p 150 and p 809). Instructional notes: p vii, p +1, p +57.

Peter Gross