701. 16:13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. This symbolizes something perceived from a theology founded on the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the Godhead and on the doctrine of justification by faith alone apart from works of the law.

A mouth symbolizes doctrine, and preaching and discourse from it (nos. 454, 574). The dragon symbolizes an acknowledgment of three gods and of justification by faith alone, and so a destruction of the church (no. 537). The beast from the sea, which is the beast meant here, symbolizes people of the external church who are caught up in that acknowledgment and faith (nos. 567, 576, 577, 601). The false prophet symbolizes people of the internal church, who teach a theology founded on those doctrines. The false prophet has not been mentioned by that name before, but it is the beast from the earth that is called that now (see no. 594 above).

Now because all of this is symbolically meant by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (who is the beast from the earth here), it follows that John's seeing something coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, symbolizes something perceived from a theology founded on the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the Godhead and on the doctrine of justification by faith alone apart from works of the law.

577. And its mortal injury was healed. This symbolizes a remedy for that chief point of doctrine by saying that no one can do any good work of himself and fulfill the law, and that another means of salvation has therefore been provided instead, which is a faith in the righteousness and merit of Christ, who suffered for mankind and thereby bore the condemnation of the law.

People see that this is the remedy for the "wounded head," and also was the remedy given, when they understand the wounded head to be as said above in no. 576. Therefore we have no need to explain it further.