Revelation 16-17

Christian Standard Bible

The First Bowl

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels,^(A) “Go and pour out the seven^[a] bowls^(B) of God’s wrath on the earth.” ² The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores^(C) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.

The Second Bowl

³ The second^[b] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died.^(D)

The Third Bowl

⁴ The third^[c] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.^{(E) 5} I heard the angel of the waters say,

⁷ I heard the altar say,

The Fourth Bowl

⁸ The fourth^[d] poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch people with fire, ⁹ and people were scorched by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,^(K) who has the power^[e] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.^(L)

The Fifth Bowl

¹⁰ The fifth^[f] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,^(M) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.^(N) People^[g] gnawed their tongues because of their pain ¹¹ and blasphemed the God of heaven^(O) because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.

The Sixth Bowl

¹² The sixth^[h] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,^(P) and its water was dried up^(Q) to prepare the way for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs^(R) coming from the dragon’s mouth,^(S) from the beast’s mouth,^(T) and from the mouth of the false prophet.^{(U) 14} For they are demonic spirits performing signs,^(V) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them^(W) for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty.^{(X) 15} “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed^(Y) is the one who is alert and remains clothed^[i](Z) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.”^{(AA) 16} So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.^[j](AB)

The Seventh Bowl

¹⁷ Then the seventh^[k] poured out his bowl into the air,^[l] and a loud voice came out of the temple^[m](AC) from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since people have been on the earth, so great was the quake.^{(AD) 19} The great city^(AE) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations^[n] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger.^{(AF) 20} Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.^{(AG) 21} Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,^[o] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God^(AH) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.^(AI)

The Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls^(AJ) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute^[p](AK) who is seated on many^[q] waters.^{(AL) 2} The kings of the earth^(AM) committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.”^{(AN) 3} Then he carried me away in the Spirit^[r](AO) to a wilderness.

I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered^[s] with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.^{(AP) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls.^(AQ) She had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable^(AR) and with the impurities of her^[t] prostitution. ⁵ On her forehead was written a name, a mystery:^(AS) 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.^(AT) 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. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss^(AU) and go to destruction.^(AV) Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world^(AW) will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.^{(AX) 9} This calls for a mind that has wisdom.^[u](AY)

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings: ¹⁰ Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. ¹² The ten horns you saw are ten kings^(AZ) who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.^{(BA) 13} These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings.^(BB) Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”^(BC)

¹⁵ He also said to me, “The waters you saw,^(BD) where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.^{(BE) 16} The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute.^(BF) They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.^{(BG) 17} For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose^(BH) and to give their kingdom^[v] to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.^{(BI) 18} And the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”