The Book of Revelation contains 666 as the number of the beast. Revelation 13:18 calls for wisdom and identifies the number as that of a human being, giving the value as 666.
The number appears within a highly symbolic vision involving two beasts, authority, worship, and economic restrictions. Readers have often interpreted 666 through gematria, a practice in which letters are assigned numerical values. Some ancient manuscripts record 616 instead, a variation that has encouraged further discussion about how the number was calculated.
Many scholars connect the symbolism to coded references to Roman imperial power, particularly Nero Caesar, though interpretations differ. The passage does not present 666 as an isolated puzzle detached from its chapter; it belongs to Revelation’s broader imagery of beasts, allegiance, and resistance. Revelation is the final book of the New Testament and is traditionally attributed to John of Patmos.