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 detestablep and with the impurities of herL prostitution. 5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery:q Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. 6 Then 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

7 Then 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.