1. Revelation 13:14 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why are we told that the second beast performs his signs in the presence of the first beast?

Revelation 13:14 (ESV)

14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

As was clear from Revelation 13:12, the second beast works in tandem with and to the advantage of the first beast. Note: where the paragraph speaks of “the beast”, the reference is to the first beast, the one that came from the sea.