A
Aharon
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Revelation 13:18
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.
The famous "666" is perhaps the best known part of the Book of Revelation, even to those who never even heard of the book. But since the finding of the oldest version of the Book of Revelation, the status of 666 as being "the devil's number" is in jeopardy. This is because the writing is translated 616, not 666.
What is the significance of 616? The Greeks' alphabet had numerical equivalents which they used instead of numbers. A name could thus be converted into a number by adding the numerical values of the letters. It is thus possible that the beast will use 616 because it is "the number of his name" (Revelation 15:2).
Also, the number of the name of the Nero Caesar is 616, or 666 if you add another "n" to "Nero" (Neron) which was another name for him. A connection is likely. Perhaps a symbolic connection between his number and the beast's is meant, since Nero was a Roman emperor and the beast will rule (or, as some believe, will be) the new Roman Empire. This would also give an explanation for the statement "the number of a man." It would thus mean "the number of a man in history named Nero."
Finally, that would account for the number change, since Nero's name has a numerical value of 616 or 666, though the beast's number will only be 616, as that was the original number in the vision.
Theorize and speculate on the significance of 616 here.
~Aharon--
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.
The famous "666" is perhaps the best known part of the Book of Revelation, even to those who never even heard of the book. But since the finding of the oldest version of the Book of Revelation, the status of 666 as being "the devil's number" is in jeopardy. This is because the writing is translated 616, not 666.
What is the significance of 616? The Greeks' alphabet had numerical equivalents which they used instead of numbers. A name could thus be converted into a number by adding the numerical values of the letters. It is thus possible that the beast will use 616 because it is "the number of his name" (Revelation 15:2).
Also, the number of the name of the Nero Caesar is 616, or 666 if you add another "n" to "Nero" (Neron) which was another name for him. A connection is likely. Perhaps a symbolic connection between his number and the beast's is meant, since Nero was a Roman emperor and the beast will rule (or, as some believe, will be) the new Roman Empire. This would also give an explanation for the statement "the number of a man." It would thus mean "the number of a man in history named Nero."
Finally, that would account for the number change, since Nero's name has a numerical value of 616 or 666, though the beast's number will only be 616, as that was the original number in the vision.
Theorize and speculate on the significance of 616 here.
~Aharon--