Revelation 13:16-17 English Standard Version

16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

All shall be marked. No one is left out of that process.

Revelation 14:9-10 English Standard Version

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

It is not all who have received the mark but all who have the mark and worshiped the beast and his image. Many who read these passages believe that having the mark alone is sufficient for God’s wrath. This is why they fear the number 666.

Strong’s definition of mark here is χάραγμα cháragma, khar’-ag-mah; from the same as G5482; a scratch or etching, i.e. stamp (as a badge of servitude), or scupltured figure (statue):—graven, mark.

The mark has given way to the imaginations of those who fear it, what it might look like and what form it might take. Ideas have been tossed around that it might be a microchip or possibly a tattoo. Some have gone so far as to imply that it might be the barcodes that are scanned to buy and sell in the market place using scanning chips embedded in our debit cards and credit cards.

Considering the implications and the connection between fact and fiction, we should be mindful that this marking only occurs in the later half of the Great Tribulation.

From all indications of prophetic words, we are not there yet.

If we should still feel like time is running out then do as the Lord commands.

Preach the gospel and call His bride to the wedding feast.

Revelation 13:16-18 English Standard Version

16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[a] to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.[b]

Footnotes

[a] For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, 

[b] Some manuscripts 616

Doulos (Ancient Greek: δοῦλος, Greek: δούλος, Linear B: do-e-ro) is a Greek masculine noun meaning “slave”. Doulos may refer to: A slave (δοῦλος) in ancient Greece; see also Slavery in the New Testament and Slavery in antiquity. MV Doulos, a passenger ship. Doulos SIL, a Unicode font produced by the SIL International.

A literal translation of doulos would contain the translations of all languages used in the original manuscripts into a font in which readers might understand a language that is not their first language. There is a literal translation that might indicate spiritual slavery.

As for 666 vs 616 it is symbolic. The number of a man is symbolic and the symbolic figure which is being presented is the Second Beast according to the doulos translation contained in the references of the ESV.

If that sounds confusing, it might be because we tend to mix the literal with the symbolic.

To clarify that comment we need to look at those that allow a literal translation of 666 to create fear of the number to the point of exclusion of the number in its entirety. That is superstition not unlike elevators in America that do not have a 13th floor button. In Japan it is a 4.

Now as to the literal control implicated by the mark of the first beast, please take this seriously.

The second beast is seen after the forty-two month reign of the first beast. That has been seen to be the first Tribulation of the Great Tribulation period, some three and a half years. Does the prophecy have any spiritual implications, literal or otherwise?

In many translations we find the words “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” where as in Revelation 13:18 it is “the one who has understanding”. There is only One who has understanding and will speak to those who have ears to hear, and He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.

Do not allow fear to cloud judgment or hinder our hearing.