Revelation 17

1  ONE OF the seven angels who had the seven bowls then came and spoke to me, saying, Come with me! I will show you the doom (sentence, judgment) of the great harlot (idolatress) who is seated on many waters, 2  [She] with whom the rulers of the earth have joined in prostitution (idolatry) and with the wine of whose immorality (idolatry) the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated. 3  And [the angel] bore me away [rapt] in the Spirit into a desert (wilderness), and I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was all covered with blasphemous titles (names), and he had seven heads and ten horns.4  The woman was robed in purple and scarlet and bedecked with gold, precious stones, and pearls, [and she was] holding in her hand a golden cup full of the accursed offenses and the filth of her lewdness and vice. 5  And on her forehead there was inscribed a name of mystery [with a secret symbolic meaning]: Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes (idolatresses) and of the filth and atrocities and abominations of the earth.6  I also saw that the woman was drunk, [drunk] with the blood of the saints (God’s people) and the blood of the martyrs [who witnessed] for Jesus. And when I saw her, I was utterly amazed and wondered greatly.7  But the angel said to me, Why do you wonder? I will explain to you the [secret symbolic meaning of the] mystery of the woman, as well as of the beast having the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.8  The beast that you saw [once] was, but [now] is no more, and he is going to come up out of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and proceed to go to perdition. And the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been recorded in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they look at the beast, because he [once] was, but [now] is no more, and he is [yet] to come. 9  This calls for a mind [to consider that is packed] with wisdom and intelligence [it is something for a particular mode of thinking and judging of thoughts, feelings, and purposes]. The seven heads are seven hills upon which the woman is sitting;10  And they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one still exists [and is reigning]; the other [the seventh] has not yet appeared, and when he does arrive, he must stay [but] a brief time.11  And as for the beast that [once] was, but now is no more, he [himself] is an eighth ruler (king, head), but he is of the seven and belongs to them, and he goes to perdition.12  Also the ten horns that you observed are ten rulers (kings) who have as yet received no royal dominion, but together they are to receive power and authority as rulers for a single hour, along with the beast. 13  These have one common policy (opinion, purpose), and they deliver their power and authority to the beast.14  They will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings--and those with Him and on His side are chosen and called [elected] and loyal and faithful followers. 15  And [the angel further] said to me, The waters that you observed, where the harlot is seated, are races and multitudes and nations and dialects (languages).16  And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will [be the very ones to] hate the harlot (the idolatrous woman); they will make her cheerless (bereaved, desolate), and they will strip her and eat up her flesh and utterly consume her with fire.17  For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His own purpose by acting in harmony in surrendering their royal power and authority to the beast, until the prophetic words (intentions and promises) of God shall be fulfilled.18  And the woman that you saw is herself the great city which dominates and controls the rulers and the leaders of the earth.

Revelation 17

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

1 Thent one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me.t “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishmentt of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.”t3 Sot he carried me away in the Spiritt to a wilderness,t and theret I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.4 Nowt the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing,t and adorned with gold,t precious stones, and pearls. She heldt in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality.s5 Ont her forehead was written a name, a mystery:t “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus.t It was greatly astoundedt when I saw her.7 Butt the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interprett for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abysst and then go to destruction. Thet inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see thatt the beast was, and is not, but is to come.9 (This requirest a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountainst the woman sits on. They are also seven kings:10 five have fallen; one is,t and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time.11 Thet beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction.12 Thet ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authorityt as kings with the beast for one hour.13 These kingst have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanyingt the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”
15 Thent the angelt said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes,t nations, and languages.16 Thet ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. Theyt will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.t17 For God has put into their mindst to carry out his purposet by makingt a decisiont to give their royal powert to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.t

18 As fort the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”