Categories
- Beauty & Style
- Computers & Tech
- Education & School
- Entertainment
- Environmental Issues
- Food & Dining
- FunAdvice Community
- Gaming & Games
- General Knowledge
- Health
- Home & Garden
- Jobs & Money
- Kids
- Love & Relationships
- Music
- Nutrition & Fitness
- Parents & Family
- Pets & Animals
- Politics
- Religion & Spirituality
- Science
- Shopping
- Sports
- Travel
- Writing & Literature
A newly discovered fragment of the oldest surviving copy of the New Testament indicates that, as far as the Antichrist goes, theologians, scholars, heavy metal groups, and television evangelists have got the wrong number. Instead of 666, it's actually the far less ominous 616.
The new fragment from the Book of Revelation, written in ancient Greek and dating from the late third century, is part of a hoard of previously unintelligible manuscripts discovered in historic dumps outside Oxyrhynchus in Egypt. Now a team of expert classicists, using new photographic techniques, are finally deciphering the original writing.
Professor David Parker, Professor of New Testament Textual Criticism and Paleography at the University of Birmingham, thinks that 616, although less memorable than 666, is the original. He said: This is an example of gematria, where numbers are based on the numerical values of letters in people's names. Early Christians would use numbers to hide the identity of people who they were attacking: 616 refers to the Emperor Caligula.
The Book of Revelation is traditionally considered to be written by John, a disciple of Jesus; it identifies 666 as the mark of the Antichrist. In America, the fundamentalist Christian right often use the number in sermons about the coming Apocalypse.
They and satanists responded coolly to the new Revelation. Peter Gilmore, High Priest of the Church of Satan, based in New York, said: By using 666 we're using something that the Christians fear. Mind you, if they do switch to 616 being the number of the beast then we'll start using that.
Ask a question related to: "Who is 666?"
Popular questions related to Who is 666?
- Can Muslims date outside their religion?
- Difference between Christian and Catholic
- What does the religion agnostic mean?
- How come Jehovah Witnesses don't celebrate Holidays?
- How can Christianity say that the Earth is only 6,000 years old?
- Can Muslims marry outside of Islam?
- What is Agnostic(religion)
- Is the Baptist Religion the same as the Mormon religion?
- Is it true some religions don't believe in going to the doctors?
- Can people of different religions get married?
- Why religious people engage in fornication?
- Why do people try to convert others to their religion?
- What is a mortal sin ?
- Change religion from Hindu to Christian?
- What's the difference between Catholics and Latter-Day Saints?
- Is seventh day adventist a cult
Religion & Spirituality Questions
What is a good book, or site, to get information about Wicca?
What should I do when my boyfriend disrespects my religion?
What is hell?
What do I do about piercings and church?
How do the 10 commandments affect us today?
Where can I get a copy of the Book of Shadows?
Share this question
Copy and paste this code:It will display on your blog or site like this:
Who is 666?



Who is 666?
Click to see large size
Who is 666?