The reference to 666 as the number of the beast is found in Revelation 13:17-18, which continues into the next chapter with a very severe warning on accepting the mark or the number of the beast. In either case, a Hebrew transliteration nets 666, while a Latin spelling nets 616. The number of the Beast, 666, is associated with the mark of the Beast and the name of the Beast in Revelation 13:17 Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. He then changed 666 to 616 to conform to the Latin rendering since it was generally accepted that Nero was the Beast. G.K. Beale has a great article on The Gospel Coalition Blog about Why Is the Number of the Beast 666 in Revelation 13:18. 666 is called the " number of the Beast " in (most manuscripts of) chapter 13 of the Book of Revelation , of the New Testament , [1] and also in popular culture. You may have seen in the news recently that a fragment of the "oldest NT manuscript" was found to say in Revelation 13:18 that the number of the beast was 616 instead of 666.Since several people have asked me about this topic, I'd like to comment on it. There is much confusion in the world today about 666, the number of the beast. The number is a frequent visual element of Aryan Brotherhood tattoos. The Number is 666 in most manuscripts of the New Testament, and in modern translations and critical editions of the Greek text. The number six implies imperfection. The mark of the beast is found in Revelation 13:16-18: "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, 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. It is a common misunderstanding, but Satan is not associated with the number 666. In Revelation 13 the number, or name, of a wild beast with seven heads and ten horns coming out of the sea is 666. This concept comes from Nero Caesar, which is considered as the most evil man by many ancient people. The mark of the beast (666) - What is it? So, 666 is the sign of the devil because the number six represents sin and man's incompleteness. Rev 13:18 Many interpretations have been offered down through the centuries, mostly casting aspersions on individuals whose names have the misfortune of tallying to 666 according to diverse cipher codes. The Number of the Beast is a concept from the Book of Revelation of the New Testament of the Christian Bible.