wild animal
therion denotes animals in ordinary scenes and a recurring, powerful visionary figure in Revelation.
The term most often identifies the recurring visionary figure in Revelation, marked by authority, worship, conflict, and eventual destruction. Elsewhere it refers to animals in wilderness, animal lists, danger, and a legal prohibition; Titus 1:12 uses the plural in an abusive description of people.
Senses in use
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The recurring visionary figure in Revelation · dominant
In Revelation 13:1, the accusative singular occurs in the vision of a figure rising from the sea with ten horns and seven heads; the APB renders the clause “I saw a wild animal rising out of the sea.” In Revelation 13:4 it receives authority and worship, while Revelation 19:20 describes its arrest alongside the false prophet.
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Animals in ordinary or illustrative settings · common
The plural appears among four-footed creatures, reptiles, and birds in Acts 11:6 and among animals that humans tame in James 3:7. The singular names the creature hanging from and then shaken off a man's hand in Acts 28:4 and Acts 28:5; Hebrews 12:20 uses it for an animal prohibited from touching the mountain.
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Abusive description of people · rare
In Titus 1:12, the nominative plural occurs in a quoted characterization of Cretans alongside “liars” and “lazy gluttons”; the APB renders the phrase “evil beasts.”
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly uses “wild animal” for the singular and plural forms, including the Revelation figure and ordinary creatures. It also uses “wild beasts” in Revelation 6:8 and “beast” in Hebrews 12:20, Titus 1:12, and Revelation 20:10; these are verse-level renderings rather than definitions.