A.T. Robertson Commentary Revelation 13:12

"And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed." — Revelation 13:12 (ASV)

He exerciseth (ποιε). Present active dramatic present of ποιεω. In his sight (ενωπιον αυτου). In the eye of the first beast who gets his authority from the dragon (13:2). The second beast carries on the succession of authority from the dragon and the first beast. It has been a common Protestant interpretation since the Reformation of Luther to see in the first beast Pagan Rome and in the second beast Papal Rome. There is undoubted verisimilitude in this interpretation, but it is more than doubtful if any such view comes within the horizon of the imagery here. Ramsay takes the first beast to be the power of imperial Rome and the second beast to be the provincial power which imitated Rome in the persecutions.

To worship the first beast (ινα προσκυνησουσιν το θηριον το πρωτον). Sub-final clause with ινα after ποιε seen in Joh 11:37; Colossians 4:16; Revelation 3:9, usually with the subjunctive, but here with the future indicative as in 3:9. Note the accusative after προσκυνεω as in verse 8. Here the death-stroke of one of the heads (verse 3) is ascribed to the beast. Clearly the delegated authority of the provincial priests of the emperor-worship is rigorously enforced, if this is the correct interpretation.