What must a person have in order to buy or sell under the beast's system?
Under the beast’s system, no one may buy or sell except the person who has the mark of the beast, or the beast’s name, or the beast’s number. The false prophet causes all people—small and great, rich and poor, free and bond—to receive this mark in the right hand or forehead.
Les explains from verse 16 that this great religious leader, identified as the false prophet, causes all—small and great, rich and poor, free and bond—to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead. The passage then states that no person may buy or sell except the one who has the mark of the beast, or his name, or his number. Les notes the word “man” here includes women as well as anyone else. Earlier he illustrates how modern systems already know all about people, but the coming system will require this mark for buying and selling.
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.