Revelation 17–20

The Woman and the Beast

17One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me. He said, “Come. I will show you how the great prostitute will be punished. She is the one who sits on many waters. ²The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways. The people living on earth were drunk with the wine of her terrible sins.”

³Then the angel carried me away in a vision. The Holy Spirit took me into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast. It was covered with names that say evil things that are displeasing to God. It had seven heads and ten horns.

⁴The woman was dressed in purple and bright red. She was gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup filled with things that God hates. It was filled with her terrible, dirty sins. ⁵Here is the name that was written on her forehead.

Mystery

The Great City of Babylon

The Mother of Prostitutes

The Mother of Everything on Earth That God Hates

⁶I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s people. They are the ones who gave witness to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was very amazed.

⁷Then the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides on. The beast is the one who has the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸The beast that you saw used to exist. But now he does not. He will come up out of the Abyss. He will be destroyed. Some of the people who live on the earth will be amazed when they see the beast. Their names have not been written in the Book of Life from the time the world was created. They will be amazed because even though the beast used to exist and now does not, he will come again.

⁹“Here is a problem that you have to be wise to understand. The seven heads are seven hills that the woman sits on. ¹⁰They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is ruling, and the other has still not come. When he does come, he must remain for a little while.

¹¹“The beast who used to exist, and now does not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the other seven. He will be destroyed.

¹²“The ten horns you saw are ten kings. They have not yet received a kingdom. But for one hour they will receive authority to rule together with the beast. ¹³They have only one purpose. So they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴They will make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will overcome them because he is the most powerful Lord of all and the greatest King of all. His appointed, chosen and faithful followers will be with him.”

¹⁵Then the angel spoke to me. “You saw the waters the prostitute sits on,” he said. “They stand for all the nations of the world, no matter what their race or language is. ¹⁶The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will destroy her and leave her naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. ¹⁷God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose. So they agreed to give the beast their power to rule. They will give him that power until God’s words come true.

¹⁸“The woman you saw stands for the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Babylon Falls

18After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority. His glory filled the earth with light. ²With a mighty voice he shouted,

“Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!

She has become a place where demons live.

She has become a den for every evil spirit.

She has become a nest for every ‘unclean’ and hated bird.

³All the nations have drunk

the strong wine of her terrible sins.

The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways.

The traders of the world grew rich from her great wealth.”

⁴Then I heard another voice from heaven. It said,

“Come out of her, my people.

Then you will not take part in her sins.

You will not suffer from any of her plagues.

⁵Her sins are piled up to heaven.

God has remembered her crimes.

⁶Do to her as she has done to others.

Pay her back double for what she has done.

Mix her a double dose of what she has mixed for others.

⁷Give her as much pain and suffering

as the glory and wealth she gave herself.

She brags to herself,

‘I rule like a queen. I am not a widow.

I will never be sad.’

⁸But she will be plagued by death, sadness and hunger.

In a single day they will all catch up with her.

She will be burned up by fire.

The Lord God who judges her is mighty.

⁹“The kings of the earth who committed terrible sins with her will sob. They will be sad because they used to share her riches. They will see the smoke rising as she burns. ¹⁰They will be terrified by her suffering. Standing far away, they will exclaim,

“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city!

How terrible for you, Babylon, city of power!

In just one hour you have been destroyed!’

¹¹“The traders of the world will cry and be sad over her. No one buys what they sell anymore. ¹²Here is what they had for sale.

Gold, silver, jewels, pearls.

Fine linen, purple, silk, bright red cloth.

Every kind of expensive wood.

All sorts of articles made out of ivory, valuable wood, bronze, iron and marble.

¹³Cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense.

Wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat.

Cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, human slaves.

¹⁴“The merchants will say, ‘The pleasure you longed for has left you. All your riches and glory have disappeared forever.’ ¹⁵The traders who sold these things and became rich because of her will stand far away. Her suffering will terrify them. They will cry and be sad. ¹⁶They will cry out,

“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city,

dressed in fine linen, purple and bright red!

How terrible for you, great city, gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls!

¹⁷In just one hour your great wealth has been destroyed!’

“Every sea captain and all who travel by ship will stand far away. So will the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea. ¹⁸They will see the smoke rising as Babylon burns. They will ask, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ ¹⁹They will throw dust on their heads. They will cry and be sad. They will cry out,

“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city!

All who had ships on the sea

became rich because of her wealth!

In just one hour she has been destroyed!

²⁰Heaven, be glad for this!

God’s people, be glad! Apostles and prophets, be glad!

God has judged her for the way she treated you.’ ”

²¹Then a mighty angel picked up a huge rock. It was the size of a large millstone. He threw it into the sea. Then he said,

“That is how

the great city of Babylon will be thrown down.

Never again will it be found.

²²The songs of musicians will never be heard in you again.

Gone will be the music of harp, flute and trumpet.

No worker of any kind

will ever be found in you again.

The sound of a millstone

will never be heard in you again.

²³The light of a lamp

will never shine in you again.

The voices of brides and grooms

will never be heard in you again.

Your traders were among the world’s most important people.

By your magic spell all the nations were led down the wrong path.

²⁴You were guilty of the murder of prophets and God’s people.

You were guilty of the blood of all who have been killed on the earth.”

Hallelujah!

19After these things I heard a roar in heaven. It sounded like a huge crowd shouting,

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

²The way he judges is true and fair.

He has judged the great prostitute.

She polluted the earth with her terrible sins.

God has paid her back for killing those who served him.”

³Again they shouted,

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her fire goes up for ever and ever.”

⁴The 24 elders and the four living creatures bowed down. They worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out,

“Amen! Hallelujah!”

⁵Then a voice came from the throne. It said,

“Praise our God,

all you who serve him!

Praise God, all you who have respect for him,

both great and small!”

⁶Then I heard the noise of a huge crowd. It sounded like the roar of rushing waters and like loud thunder. The people were shouting,

“Hallelujah!

Our Lord God is the King who rules over all.

⁷Let us be joyful and glad!

Let us give him glory!

It is time for the Lamb’s wedding.

His bride has made herself ready.

⁸Fine linen, bright and clean,

was given to her to wear.”

Fine linen stands for the right things that God’s people do.

⁹Here is what the angel told me to write. “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” Then he added, “These are the true words of God.”

¹⁰When I heard this, I fell at his feet to worship him.

But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I serve God, just as you do. I am God’s servant, just like other believers who hold firmly to what Jesus has taught. Worship God! What Jesus taught is the very heart of prophecy.”

The Rider on the White Horse

¹¹I saw heaven standing open. There in front of me was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True. When he judges or makes war, he is always fair. ¹²His eyes are like blazing fire. On his head are many crowns. A name is written on him that only he knows. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. His name is The Word of God.

¹⁴The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses. They were dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

¹⁵Out of the rider’s mouth comes a sharp sword. He will strike down the nations with it. Scripture says, “He will rule them with an iron rod.” He stomps on the grapes of God’s winepress. The winepress stands for the terrible anger of the God who rules over all.

¹⁶Here is the name that is written on the rider’s robe and on his thigh.

The Greatest King of All and The Most Powerful Lord of All

¹⁷I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the air, “Come! Gather together for the great supper of God. ¹⁸Come and eat the dead bodies of kings, generals, and other mighty people. Eat the bodies of horses and their riders. Eat the bodies of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

¹⁹Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their…