15The second beast was allowed to put breath into the statue of the [first] beast. Then the statue of the [first] beast could talk and put to death whoever would not worship it. 16The second beast forces all people-important and unimportant people, rich and poor people, free people and slaves-to be branded on their right hands or on their foreheads. 17It does this so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the brand, which is the beast's name or the number of its name. 18In this situation wisdom is needed. Let the person who has insight figure out the number of the beast, because it is a human number. The beast's number is 666.
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