ISB ~ Revelation 13 v17

the mark:A sign of apostasy. By demanding the mark, the beast forces believers to choose between prosperity and poverty, material wealth and martyrdom. It is uncertain what historical circumstances underlie this description. However, standard coinage minted in Tyre and used throughout Syria-Palestine was discontinued in the late 50s, eventually passing out of circulation. In its place, new coins were minted in Antioch with an image of Emperor Nero (See note on Rev 13:18). This may in part explain “buying and selling” in connection with “the beast”, especially since the Greek term for “mark” can refer to an image struck on a coin.