Revelation 17

The Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls ^ccame and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute ^dewho sits on many ^fwaters. ^g2The kings of the earth ^hcommitted sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.” ⁱ³So he carried me away in the Spirit ^jkto a desert. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered ^lwith blasphemous names and had seven heads and 10 horns. ^m4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. ⁿShe had a gold cup in her hand filled with everything vile ^oand with the impurities of her ^pprostitution. ⁵On her forehead a cryptic name ^qwas written:

BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE VILE THINGS OF THE EARTH.

⁶Then I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. ^rWhen 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 tell you the secret meaning of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the 10 horns, that carries her. ⁸The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss ^sand go to destruction. ^tThose who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world ^uwill be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present again. ^v

⁹“Here is the mind with wisdom: ^wxThe seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. ¹⁰They are also seven kings: ^yFive have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for a little while. ¹¹The beast that was and is not, is himself an eighth king, yet he belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. ¹²The 10 horns you saw are 10 kings ^zwho have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. ^a13These 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. ^bThose with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” ^c

¹⁵He also said to me, “The waters you saw, ^dwhere the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. ^e16The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. ^fThey will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. ^g17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose ^hand to give their kingdom ⁱto the beast until God’s words are accomplished. ^j18And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire ^kover the kings of the earth.”