Revelation 17

THE WOMAN AND THE SCARLET BEAST

17Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls^h came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute^Hi who is seated on many^I waters.^{j 2}The kings of the earth^k committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.”^{l 3}Then he carried me away in the Spirit^Jm to a wilderness.

I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered^K with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.^{n 4}The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls.^o She had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable^p and with the impurities of her^L prostitution. ⁵On her forehead was written a name, a mystery:^q Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. ⁶Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.^r When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

THE MEANING OF THE WOMAN AND OF THE BEAST

⁷Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her. ⁸The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss^s and go to destruction.^t Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world^u will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.^{v 9}This calls for a mind that has wisdom.^Aw

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings: ¹⁰Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. ¹²The ten horns you saw are ten kings^x who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.^{y 13}These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings.^z Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”^aa

¹⁵He also said to me, “The waters you saw,^ab where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.^{ac 16}The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute.^ad They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.^{ae 17}For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose^af and to give their kingdom^B to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.^{ag 18}And the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”