This short article is in rebuttal to what Walid Shoebat said regarding the number of the beast (666) in Revelation 13:17–18. Walid Shoebat's statement that is in reference can be seen HERE on YouTube.

WALID SHOEBAT CLAIMS that the "Greek" numbers/letters 666 located in Revelation13:17-18 in the 'Codex Vaticanus' is actually Arabic letters. This claim is false! I will show you the truth in the images below:

WALID SHOEBAT CLAIMS THE TEXT IS WRITTEN AS FOLLOWS:

(Image above is a screen capture from Walid Shoebat's video.)

THE FOLLOWING IMAGE IS AN ACTUAL IMAGE OF THE CODEX VATICANUS:

The letters Walid Shoebat claims to be Arabic are NOT, but ARE GREEK!

In the Textus Receptus (derived from Byzantine text-type manuscripts), it is written as:

In the Novum Testamentum Graece (derived from various sources), the numbers are actually spelled-out and reads as follows:

BASED UPON THE PRESENTED FACTS ABOVE,

Walid Shoebat's claim that Revelation 13:17–18 reveals a Muslim rather than a number is incorrect.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT IS PERTINENT...

Fragment from Papyrus #115 with number 616

This volume of Oxyrhynchus Papyri contains a fragmentary papyrus of Revelation which is the earliest known witness to some sections (late third / early fourth century). One feature of particular interest is the number that this papyrus assigns to the Beast: 616, rather than the usual 666. It had been known that this variant existed: Irenaeus cites (and refutes) it. But this is the earliest instance that has so far been found.

Irenaeus, the disciple of Polycarp, the disciple of the apostle John (WHO LIVED ABOUT 100 YEARS BEFORE THE ABOVE DATED "Oxyrhynchus Papyri") wrote the following:

"Such, then, being the state of the case, and this number being found in all the most approved and ancient copies [of the Apocalypse], and those men who saw John face to face bearing their testimony [to it]; while reason also leads us to conclude that the number of the name of the beast, [if reckoned] according to the Greek mode of calculation by the [value of] the letters contained in it, will amount to six hundred and sixty and six; that is, the number of tens shall be equal to that of the hundreds, and the number of hundreds equal to that of the units (for that number which [expresses] the digit six being adhered to throughout, indicates the recapitulations of that apostasy, taken in its full extent, which occurred at the beginning, during the intermediate periods, and which shall take place at the end),—I do not know how it is that some have erred following the ordinary mode of speech, and have vitiated the middle number in the name, deducting the amount of fifty from it, so that instead of six decads they will have it that there is but one. [I am inclined to think that this occurred through the fault of the copyists, as is wont to happen, since numbers also are expressed by letters; so that the Greek letter which expresses the number sixty was easily expanded into the letter Iota of the Greeks.]" --Against Heresies, book 5, chapter 30.

I am personally inclined to believe that the number is 666, but I felt that it was neccessary to present the actual papyri image of the number 616. This is thus far the oldest papyri found of Revelation 13:17-18 and it expressly shows that the letters are not Arabic, but rather Greek.