Sorry, wrong number...

Fragment from Book of Revelation mentions 616 in the third line – chi, iota, sigma (courtesy Egypt Exploration Society)

Well, according to this article, scholars have found an early fragment of the Book of Revelation in which the Greek translation of the Beast equals 616, rather than the famed 666.

I guess a lot of heavy metal albums will have to be reprinted...

Addition: I found this quote on a site today (6/22/05), related to this issue:

"The most reliable manuscripts have the number as 666. There's no reason to change the text of the New Testament, and there's no reason to change the tattoos."

Georgetown University theology professor Alan Mitchell, on a newly readable fourth-century manuscript fragment of the Book of Revelation, which says the number of the Beast is 616.