This is one of the more intriguing  things found in book of Revelation written by the Apostle John. If you Google search this topic, all kinds of sites will pop up with a million different ideas of what it might mean.

Notice the title of this article is 666/616. The reasons for this is some older manuscripts actually contain the number 616 rather than the 666. This doesn't make it necessarily more accurate, but it is indeed possible.

The number 616 can be found in the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (5th Century) in Paris, a Latin version of Tyconius, and an Armenian manuscript.

What does this number mean?

There is certainly evidence the Greeks and Hebrews have used numeric assignments within their alphabets to function as both language and numbers. Numbers in scripture are written out which makes it more confusing with the exception below involving the use of 3 letters indicating Gematria values are implied.

Revelation 13:17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.

Revelation 13:18 Wisdom is needed to understand this. Let the one who has understanding solve the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666. – NLT

This is the rendering of the same verse as translated from Papyrus 115 which uses just 3 letters to contain a value.

(Note the χ = 600, ξ = 60 , ς = 6 (This letter is actually the Stigma with a value of 6. This letter was phased out and joined with the Sigma wich has a value of 200)

There is an alternate reading of verse 18 that spells out the number six hundered sixty six rather then using 3 letters as in the form of Gematria:

εξακοσιοι = Six Hundered or εξακοσια = Six Hundered (Different Spellings from different ancient manuscripts)

εξηκοντα = Sixty

εξ = Six

In case anyone is interested in the gematria values of these words here they are using both spelling cases from above:

εξακοσιοι εξηκοντα εξ = 1025 (5x5x41)

εξακοσια εξηκοντα εξ = 946 (2x11x43)

Rev 13:18

פה חכמה צפונה והמשכיל יחשב את-מספר החיה כי מספר אדם הוא ומספרו תרסו - Hebrew New Testament ( תרסו =400+200+60+6 = 666 written out)

With all these zany calculations perhaps is something as simple as this:

In Greek, the lack of a definite article usually indicates a general application and not the identity of a singular principle or individual person. The phrase should/could be read, “…it is the number of man.”

But the indefinite article “a” does not need to indicate “one” man, or group or thing. Therefore, John’s statement may be better understood as it being the number of man.

Perhaps when we choose to follow after man and things of this world this is going to be the symbolism of the life you have chosen.

Here are some more interesting verses that I've run across.

Job 18:3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

"counted as beasts"

1 Chronicles 23:24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses -- the heads of the fathers' houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names, who did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and above.

"counted individually by the number of their names"

Daniel 4:16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

"a beast's heart be given unto him"

Jeremiah 31:27 " Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast.

"and the seed of beast"

Caesar Neron

Nero was the Roman Emperor who persecuted the Christians. Some say he was the person whom John was referring to in Revelation. I don't recall anything in the history books about him enforcing a mark of the beast.

The actual Greek rending of this name doesn’t even come close to 666. If we use Hebrew then it depends on how we spell out his name. This is the correct way to spell Caesar Neron as written in Greek.

Καισαρι Νερωνι (Greek Gematria)

Caesar Neron

342 + 1015 = 1357

Here is the Hebrew spelling of the name:

קיסר נרו (Hebrew Gematria)

Caesar Nero

370 + 256 = 626 (If you drop the Yud from קיסר then you would have 616, but that's not how Caesar is spelled in Hebrew)

Some use an alternate spelling of his Name/Title such as קסר נורן which does total to 666. So is it Nero נרו or Neron נורן, Caesar קסר or קיסר? This will obviously adjust the values there.

There are Final Letters such as Nun, Mem, Tzadik, Peh, and Caph. Some choose to use the Sofit values of those letters and others don't. Early Hebrew didn't have final letters as this is more modern Hebrew dating back to about the 2nd century CE.

Revelation was written in Greek therfore it would seem strange to use a Hebrew calculation to come up with the value of 666/616 for his name.

One missed detail with the Nero scenario is the timing of his rule with the authorship of Revelation by John.

Nero ruled Rome from 54-68 A.D. Revelation's estimated authorship is upwards of 20 or more years beyond his rule. Now if Revelation is thought to be prophetic it wouldn't make sense claiming Nero as the Antichrist since he had already died many years before. Therefore don’t push aside the idea we have another one coming whom will have a much greater influence then a Roman Emperor who lived 2,000 years ago.

Of course we’ve also noted above that this could mean “Number of Man” not just the “Number of a Man” such as Nero or whomever else should come to fullfill this role.

Chip Implants?

Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, -KJV

Rev 13:16 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: -KJV

The greek word used there is "επι" (Epsilon/Pi/Iota) - Strongs #1909 - The meaning of this word is this:



1) upon, on, at, by, before

2) of position, on, at, by, over, against

3) to, over, on, at, across, against

(Never implying this is inside the person)

If it was meaning "within" it would of used the word εσωθεν(Epsilon/Sigma/Omega/Theta/Epsilon/Nu) - Strong's #2081

Another case in point:

Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. -KJV

The same Greek word επι (Epi) is used here in the form of a preposition genetive just as it is in the mark of beast verses. Should we go ahead and say his crown is in his head?

The word for "in" as used in that verse "in his hand a sharp sickle" is using another Greek word εν Strong's # 01722 - Meaning in, by, with etc. - Again this of course is not implying within his hand.

The NKJV (New King James Version) doesn't use "in" any longer when referring to those verses.

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 - NKJV

Another problem with this whole chip implant theory is the fact that having a chip in you doesn't make you an enemy of God. What if I get a heart transplant or a new hip? I have a Mastercard and Visa to buy things so what? It's not the device that goes in you that makes you an enemy of God, its the relationship this thing would have to have with those associated with it. Currently I see a chip as more of a paranoid government control scheme.

This still wouldn't make you an enemy of God. You would have to take some oath and by taking that oath you thereby acknowledge this Beast over God himself. If this Chip implant required you to sign or swear that by taking it you hereby say there is no God other then the one who gave you this device then yes that would work as a "Beast Mark", however you see a chip isn't needed to do that.

This therefore makes the chip theory harder to pursue as this is not in someone but upon them. (Symbolism)

I haven't browsed all the translations of those verses, but the ESV and NJB use "On" rather than "in" as they have translated this properly.

Here is a similar sample from the book of Ezekiel

Ezekiel 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

Ezekiel 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. -KJV

Once again in the LXX here the Greek word for "upon" is επι

For the Hebrew verse Ezekiel 9:4 the words are תו על מצחות - Meaning a Mark upon the Forehead. The Hebrew word for upon is על

WWW. = 666?

This is another amusing thing I've seen on the internet. The Hebrew Vav ו has a numeric value of 6 in Hebrew Gematria. It produces the Wha sound, but you need to use this 2 times in a row to properly pronounce the Wha sound, otherwise the alternate sounds use the Vav one time. Therefore people saying Vav,Vav,Vav = 6,6,6 for W,W,W are incorrect in that assumption.

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