Add parallel Print Page Options

The Doom of Babylon

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment and doom of the great [a]prostitute who is seated [b]on many waters [influencing nations],(A) she with whom the kings of the earth have [c]committed acts of immorality, and the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”(B) And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was [d]entirely covered with blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.(C) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, [and she was] holding in her hand a gold cup full of the abominations and the filth of her [sexual] immorality.(D) And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES (false religions, heresies) AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints (God’s people), and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus [who were martyred]. When I saw her, I wondered in amazement. But the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

“The beast that you saw was [once], but [now] is not, and he is about to come up out of the abyss (the bottomless pit, the dwelling place of demons) and go to destruction (perdition). And the inhabitants of the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see the beast, because he was and is not and is yet to come [to earth].(E) Here is the mind which has wisdom [and this is what it knows about the vision]. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits; 10 and they are seven kings: five of whom have fallen, one exists and is reigning; the other [the seventh] has not yet come, and when he does come, he must remain a little while. 11 And the beast that [once] was but is not, is himself also an eighth king and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction (perdition). 12 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but [together] they receive authority as kings for a single hour [for a common purpose] along with the beast.(F) 13 These [kings] have one purpose [one mind, one common goal], and they give their power and authority to the beast.

Victory for the Lamb

14 They will wage war against the Lamb (Christ), and the Lamb will triumph and conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him and on His side are the called and chosen (elect) and faithful.”(G)

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns which you saw, and the [e]beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked [stripped of her power and influence], and will eat her flesh and completely consume her with fire. 17 For God has put it in their hearts to carry out His purpose by [f]agreeing together to surrender their kingdom to the beast, until the [prophetic] words of God will be fulfilled. 18 The woman whom you saw is the [g]great city, which reigns over and dominates and controls the kings and the political leaders of the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 17:1 Some have thought that the prostitute symbolizes a corrupt, apostate religious system.
  2. Revelation 17:1 For the meaning of the waters in this prophetic context, see v 15.
  3. Revelation 17:2 This may be a figurative reference to cult worship practices and idolatry.
  4. Revelation 17:3 Lit full of.
  5. Revelation 17:16 The Antichrist, the final world ruler.
  6. Revelation 17:17 Or having a common purpose.
  7. Revelation 17:18 Scholars have differing opinions on the “great city.” Some believe the context (18:2, 10, 21) suggests Babylon, others Rome, and still others believe it refers to many cities.

17 Then kai one heis of ek the ho seven hepta angels angelos who ho had echō the ho seven hepta bowls phialē came erchomai and kai talked laleō with meta me egō, saying legō, “ Come deuro, I will show deiknymi you sy the ho judgment krima of the ho great megas prostitute pornē · ho who ho is seated kathēmai on epi many polys waters hydōr. The ho kings basileus of the ho earth committed acts of immorality porneuō with meta her hos, and kai those ho who dwell katoikeō upon the ho earth became intoxicated methyskō with ek the ho wine oinos of ho her autos immorality porneia.” So kai he carried apopherō me egō away in en the spirit pneuma into eis a wilderness erēmos, and kai there I saw a woman gynē sitting kathēmai on epi a scarlet kokkinos beast thērion covered gemō with blasphemous blasphēmia names onoma. It had echō seven hepta heads kephalē and kai ten deka horns keras. · kai The ho woman gynē was eimi clothed periballō in purple porphyrous and kai scarlet kokkinos, and kai adorned chrysoō with gold chrysion and kai jewels lithos timios and kai pearls margaritēs. In en her autos hand cheir she held echō a golden chrysous cup potērion · ho full gemō of abominations bdelygma, · kai the ho impurities akathartos of ho her autos fornication porneia. And kai on epi · ho her autos forehead metōpon was written graphō a name onoma, a mystery mystērion: “ Babylon Babylōn the ho great megas, · ho mother mētēr of ho prostitutes pornē and kai of the ho abominations bdelygma of the ho earth .” And kai I saw the ho woman gynē drunk methyō with ek the ho blood haima of the ho saints hagios, · kai the ho blood haima of those ho who bore witness martys to Jesus Iēsous. · kai When I saw her autos, I was thaumazō greatly thauma megas astounded thaumazō. Then kai the ho angel angelos said legō to me egō, “ Why dia tis are you astounded thaumazō? I egō will explain legō to you sy the ho mystery mystērion of the ho woman gynē and kai of the ho beast thērion with echō seven hepta heads kephalē and kai ten deka horns keras that ho carries bastazō her autos. · ho · ho · ho The ho beast thērion that hos you saw was eimi, and kai now is eimi not ou, but kai is about mellō to rise anabainō from ek the ho abyss abyssos and kai go hypagō to eis destruction apōleia. And kai those ho who dwell katoikeō on epi the ho earth , whose hos names onoma have not ou been written graphō · ho in epi the ho Book biblion of ho Life zōē from apo the foundation katabolē of the world kosmos, will be astounded thaumazō when they see blepō the ho beast thērion, because hoti he was eimi and kai is eimi not ou, but kai is to come pareimi.

This hōde calls for a ho mind nous · ho with echō wisdom sophia. The ho seven hepta heads kephalē are eimi seven hepta mountains oros on epi which autos the ho woman gynē sits kathēmai. They are eimi also kai seven hepta kings basileus: 10 · ho five pente have fallen piptō, · ho one heis is eimi, the ho other allos has not yet oupō come erchomai; and kai when hotan he does come erchomai, he autos must dei remain menō for only a brief time oligos. 11 · kai The ho beast thērion that hos was eimi, and kai now is eimi not ou, · kai is eimi himself autos an eighth ogdoos king, but kai also one of ek the ho seven hepta, and kai is on his way hypagō to eis destruction apōleia. 12 And kai the ho ten deka horns keras that hos you saw are eimi ten deka kings basileus who hostis as yet oupō have lambanō not oupō received lambanō royal power basileia, but alla will receive lambanō ruling authority exousia as hōs kings basileus for one heis hour hōra, along with meta the ho beast thērion. 13 These houtos are echō of one heis mind gnōmē and kai will hand over didōmi · ho their autos power dynamis and kai authority exousia to the ho beast thērion. 14 They houtos will make war polemeō on meta the ho Lamb arnion, but kai the ho Lamb arnion will conquer nikaō them autos because hoti he is eimi Lord kyrios of lords kyrios and kai King basileus of kings basileus; and kai with meta him autos will be the ho called klētos, · kai the chosen eklektos, and kai the faithful pistos.” 15 Then kai the angel said legō to me egō, “ The ho waters hydōr that hos you saw, where hou the ho prostitute pornē is seated kathēmai, are eimi peoples laos, · kai multitudes ochlos, · kai nations ethnos, and kai languages glōssa. 16 As for kai the ho ten deka horns keras that hos you saw, they and kai the ho beast thērion will hate miseō the ho prostitute pornē and kai make poieō her autos desolate erēmoō and kai naked gymnos. · kai They will devour esthiō · ho her autos flesh sarx and kai burn katakaiō her autos up with en fire pyr, 17 · ho for gar God theos has put didōmi it into eis · ho their autos hearts kardia to carry out poieō · ho his autos purpose gnōmē · kai by agreeing together poieō · kai to turn over didōmi · ho their autos royal power basileia to the ho beast thērion, until achri the ho words logos of ho God theos are fulfilled teleō. 18 And kai the ho woman gynē you saw is eimi the ho great megas city polis · ho that ho has echō dominion basileia over epi the ho kings basileus of the ho earth .”