There have always been a couple of things about the wording of Revelation 13:17-18 that I found interesting. First, it specifically says to "count" the number of his name. Some translations use the word "calculate" if I'm not mistaken. This to me implies that at least some kind of basic math will be required to arrive at 666. This to me implies that it can't just be a symbol that looks like 666, whether it's in English, Greek, Arabic, or whatever. There will have to be some kind of "counting" involved.
Also, when it says the number is 666, I've always taken that to mean specifically the number six hundred and sixty six. Not just three random sixes pulled from anywhere. For example, the night Obama won the election, people were calling him the antichrist because on that very night, the winning lottery numbers somewhere in the country were 6, 6, and 6. Well, those are just three individual sixes, not six hundred and sixty six. I think the mark would have to be that actual number, based on the wording of the text. Just my interpretation though, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1164163Here 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.
—Revelation 13:18
From the article.
"The first word,
“number,” is translated from the Greek word, arithmos. Arithmos may also be accurately translated as multitude (peoples and nations).
The second word, “count,” which originates from the Greek, psephizo, is also often translated as reckon, or decide.
Obviously, when this verse was originally translated it was
done so with the understanding that the original author, John, had written a number (Chi Xi Stigma) rather than a name (Arabic characters). It would then stand to reason that the translators, when choosing an equivalent for the Greek word, arithmos, would have chosen “number,” in lieu of multitude. From their perspective, the context of the verse would seem to validate this choice.
Likewise, the same reasoning would have been applied when
translating the Greek word, psephizo. The translators would have logically chosen “count,” instead of its alternate translation, decide or reckon, as it would seem to fit more with the reference to a number (Chi Xi Stigma)
In order to illustrate to what extent these translational issues can color the subtleties of a passage, we will insert the alternate translations of the original Greek words, arithmos and psephizo, into Revelation 13:18, and then compare the modified verse to the original. Below, we have two versions of verse 18. The first appears
exactly as it is found in the King James Version of the Bible:
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.
—Revelation 13:18
Here, in the second version, we have replaced the words in
question with their alternate translations:
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding decide
the multitude of the beast: for it is the multitude of a man; and his multitude is “in the name of Allah.”
—Revelation 13:18 (alternate translation)
By simply replacing the key words with their equally accurate, and perhaps more appropriate, translations, the verse is transformed. The references to “the multitude of the beast.” and “the multitude of a man” clearly refer to the legions of Muslims who worship the “beast” (Islam), as well as the religion that was founded not by God, but by a “man” (Muhammed). The last line of the verse indicates that “his multitude is in the name of Allah,” further
describing the vast numbers of Muslims that worship Allah as
god."
[
link to www.beastfromtheeast.org]
