John and the number 666.

[New_Year_SMS]

Is it a coincidence or did John intentionally wrote 666 as the mark of the beast when he wrote Revelations, that it could be referencing chapter 6 verse 66 of his Gospel? John 6:66 writes:

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View [John 6:66](http://www.veritasbible.com/search/multiple/all/John 6:66) bible passage at VeritasBible.com

So is the people marked with the number of the beast those who have believed in Christ, but turned their back on Him refusing to accept His teaching that for us to gain eternal life we must eat His flesh and drink His blood?

edit: interesting enough the Bible quoting mechanism of CAF seems to be referring to another passage when I put in John 6:66.

From bible.cc, here is John 6:66 in different translations:

New International Version (©1984)
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

New Living Translation (©2007)
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

English Standard Version (©2001)
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.

International Standard Version (©2008)
As a result, many of his disciples turned back and no longer associated with him.

GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Jesus’ speech made many of his disciples go back to the lives they had led before they followed Jesus.

King James Bible
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

American King James Version
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

American Standard Version
Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Bible in Basic English
Because of what he said, a number of the disciples went back and would no longer go with him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.

Darby Bible Translation
From that time many of his disciples went away back and walked no more with him.

English Revised Version
Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Webster’s Bible Translation
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Weymouth New Testament
Thereupon many of His disciples left Him and went away, and no longer associated with Him.

World English Bible
At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Young’s Literal Translation
From this time many of his disciples went away backward, and were no more walking with him,

.

 

[rdscheirer]

Verses were not put on the passages in the Bible until I believe after or just before the invention of the printing press. Perhaps one of the moderators knows where to find this info but I remember reading it in “This Rock” magazine which is affiliated with this site.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

I think rdscheirer means around the time of mass bible printings. Either way rdscheirer is correct John would have never know of a John 6:66 he would have only known of a single continues writing

 

[Joe_Kelley]

In Biblical numerology 7 is the number of earthly perfections - days of creation, initial number of deacons, etc. Thus 6, one less, symbolizes imperfection. Repeating a number add emphasis; thus 666 signifies extreme imperfection.

I don’t think this is Church has a position on this; so it is allowable speculation. I have read it in a number of places; so give it a significant degree of credibility.

 

[bogeydogg]

In Biblical numerology 7 is the number of earthly perfections - days of creation, initial number of deacons, etc. Thus 6, one less, symbolizes imperfection. Repeating a number add emphasis; thus 666 signifies extreme imperfection.

I don’t think this is Church has a position on this; so it is allowable speculation. I have read it in a number of places; so give it a significant degree of credibility.

The earth was created in 6 days not 7.

Nero is the antichrist in Rev his name numerically is 666.

He, like Antiochus IV is a prefiguring of world rulers in the last days.

At that’s what I think.

 

[puzzleannie]

I have always wondered about 666 in the Bible ever since my grandson told me Arabic numerals were not “discovered” and used in the west until the middle ages.
so how does the relevant bible passage read in the original Latin?
VI VI VI?
what do Greek or Hebrew numerals look like?

 

[LiftHimUp]

The earth was created in 6 days not 7.

Nero is the antichrist in Rev his name numerically is 666.

He, like Antiochus IV is a prefiguring of world rulers in the last days.

At that’s what I think.

If you are going to say that Nero is the anti-christ, then give proof from scripture. Please make sure he fits all of the prophecy and not certain parts of it. Otherwise, do not assume that he is. You will be surprised if you dig a little deeper.

 

[Glorthac]

I have always wondered about 666 in the Bible ever since my grandson told me Arabic numerals were not “discovered” and used in the west until the middle ages.
so how does the relevant bible passage read in the original Latin?
VI VI VI?
what do Greek or Hebrew numerals look like?

Revelation was written in Greek, not Latin. The number 666 in Greek is χξϚ.

 

[MarcusAndreas]

Chapters and verses weren’t added to the Bible until the high middle ages by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury.

 

[Glorthac]

The earth was created in 6 days not 7.

Nero is the antichrist in Rev his name numerically is 666.

He, like Antiochus IV is a prefiguring of world rulers in the last days.

At that’s what I think.

The majority of the Church Fathers rejected Preterism. And the Church Fathers listed of dozens of possible names from 666:

Euanthas
Lateinos
Teitan
Lampetis
Ho niketes (the Conqueror)
Ho episalos (Unstable)
Kakos odegos (Evil Guide)
alethes Blaperos (Truly harmful)
Palai baskanos (Ancient Slanderer)
amnos adikos (Unjust lamb)
Antemos
Arnogme

From reading the Church Fathers, the most consensus they got on the subject was the Beast’s name probably is Teitan (and they give reasons), but could be anything.

 

[NHInsider]

In some of the early manuscripts the number is 616. Don’t get sucked in by the “left behind” craze.

Biblical prophecy is multi-layered. It’s entirely possible that John’s vision points both to Nero and to some future ruler (just as the “maiden will conceive and bear a son” had both a near-term and a long-term fulfillment).

And no, the chapter and verse numbers are not inspired. (In fact, sometimes they hinder understanding, making us miss connections between pieces of the text. For example, read Rev. 11:15 to 12:17 without the chapter split and notice how clear the connection between the Ark and the Blessed Mother is.)

 

[patrick457]

Which reminds me: the number is supposed to be “six hundred sixty-six”, not 6-6-6.

And no, the Biblical authors never wrote their books (or letters) with chapters and verses. I mean, you wouldn’t really think of writing the fifth verse of the first chapter of a letter to your, say, friend, don’t you? “Okay, here would be verse five: ‘How are you today? I hope you’re feeling well, what with all the terrible…’ Oops, ‘terrible’ should be in verse six! ‘…terrible weather that we’re all experiencing…’”

Cardinal Hugo de Sancto Caro is often given credit for first dividing the Vulgate into chapters, but it is the arrangement of his contemporary and fellow cardinal Stephen Langton who in 1205 created the chapter divisions which are used today. It would only be later 16th century when verses would be introduced: Robert Estienne (Robert Stephanus) was the first to number the verses within each chapter. And as others mentioned, the way I look at it, the chapter-and-verse divisions in our Bibles, while helpful in some instances (they make it easier to look up particular passages, for instance), are more of a curse than a blessing. For one, the divisions in some parts seem to be rather arbitrary: the text is often divided into chapters in an incoherent way, or at inappropriate rhetorical points. Also, it encourages cherry-picking passages out of context, in effect turning the Bible into a kind of textual quarry for clerical citations.

 

[patrick457]

In some of the early manuscripts the number is 616. Don’t get sucked in by the “left behind” craze.

Or ‘six hundred sixteen’. Papyrus 115 (where it is written as ΧΙC, ‘616’) and the palimpsest Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (ἑξακόσιοι δέκα ἕξ, “six hundred sixteen”), as well as some other manuscripts no longer extant to us but which survives only in testimonies (by St. Irenaeus for instance, who rejects the textual variant). “Six hundred forty-six” and “six hundred sixty-five” were also found, but those are probably scribal errors.

 

[pablope]

If you are going to say that Nero is the anti-christ, then give proof from scripture. Please make sure he fits all of the prophecy and not certain parts of it. Otherwise, do not assume that he is. You will be surprised if you dig a little deeper.

Why would who the anti-christ be in Scripture? whether it was nero or a future person. Then nobody would be seeking who it is, right? It is akin to asking you this question. If it is not Nero, then provide proof it is not, through Scripture

 

[LiftHimUp]

Why would who the anti-christ be in Scripture? whether it was nero or a future person. Then nobody would be seeking who it is, right? It is akin to asking you this question. If it is not Nero, then provide proof it is not, through Scripture

For this I don’t have to use all of the characteristics. I will only use a few because if Nero does not fit every characteristic that God gave us then it is not Nero.

1. Nero did not rule for 1260 years or 1260 days (if you want to be literal) exactly.
2. Nero did not uproot 3 kingdoms while 7 are still here today.
3. Nero is dead which means his kingdom no longer stands which means he is no longer persecuting anyone.

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

When did Nero receive a wound and when was it healed? How can the world wonder after Nero if he is dead?

 

[LiftHimUp]

Why would who the anti-christ be in Scripture? whether it was nero or a future person. Then nobody would be seeking who it is, right? It is akin to asking you this question. If it is not Nero, then provide proof it is not, through Scripture

Why would God give us something if He didn’t want us to understand?

 

[patrick457]

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

When did Nero receive a wound and when was it healed? How can the world wonder after Nero if he is dead?

Well there is such a thing as the whole rumor of Nero redivivus.
Nero committed suicide by driving a dagger into his throat on June 9th, AD 68; in this he was aided by his private secretary, Epaphroditos.

The Senate and more well-off individuals welcomed Nero’s death, but the general populace, “those who were supported by the famous excesses of Nero,” loyal as it was, were upset with the news. In fact, at his death (and for centuries afterward, well into the 5th century) there was a widespread belief, especially in the eastern provinces, that he actually did not die and somehow would return - be it from Parthia or from Jerusalem or some other eastern location - and march back to Rome to regain his empire and avenge himself on his enemies. There were even various folks, all claiming to be Nero, who appeared the autumn of 69 AD and the reign of Domitian (AD 81-96). Most scholars today set the number of Nero impostors to two or three, although St. Augustine wrote of the popularity of the belief that Nero would return in his day. In addition to the three pseudo-Neros, Suetonius refers to imperial edicts forged in the dead Nero’s name that encouraged his followers and promised his imminent return to avenge himself on his enemies.

Not only that, some even viewed Domitian as the revived Nero - and Revelation is traditionally reckoned to have been written during his reign.

 

[LiftHimUp]

Well there is such a thing as the whole rumor of Nero redivivus.
Nero committed suicide by driving a dagger into his throat on June 9th, AD 68; in this he was aided by his private secretary, Epaphroditos.

The Senate and more well-off individuals welcomed Nero’s death, but the general populace, “those who were supported by the famous excesses of Nero,” loyal as it was, were upset with the news. In fact, at his death (and for centuries afterward, well into the 5th century) there was a widespread belief, especially in the eastern provinces, that he actually did not die and somehow would return - be it from Parthia or from Jerusalem or some other eastern location - and march back to Rome to regain his empire and avenge himself on his enemies. There were even various folks, all claiming to be Nero, who appeared the autumn of 69 AD and the reign of Domitian (AD 81-96). Most scholars today set the number of Nero impostors to two or three, although St. Augustine wrote of the popularity of the belief that Nero would return in his day. In addition to the three pseudo-Neros, Suetonius refers to imperial edicts forged in the dead Nero’s name that encouraged his followers and promised his imminent return to avenge himself on his enemies.

Not only that, some even viewed Domitian as the revived Nero - and Revelation is traditionally reckoned to have been written during his reign.

People claiming and Domitian revived does not fit what God has given us. That’s not even in the bible. People can assume with closed eyes but should really put away preconceived notions and actually study the bible and history. Nero is dead and does not fit the description from top to bottom.

 

[pablope]

Why would God give us something if He didn’t want us to understand?

No, God would not. That is why He gave us the Church, the Apostles and their successors, as the proper teaching authority (the Magisterium) if there is something the faithful do not understand.

1 Tim 3:15:if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the **church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
**

The Church will provide the guidance needed. This is why you do not see any official Catholic affiliated (if you know of any, please provide the name, link or so) organization, involved with the “End Times” theories.