Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels^(A) who had the seven bowls^(B) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment^(C) of the great prostitute,^(D) who sits by many waters.^{(E) 2} With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”^(F)

³ Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit^(G) into a wilderness.^(H) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet^(I) beast that was covered with blasphemous names^(J) and had seven heads and ten horns.^{(K) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.^(L) She held a golden cup^(M) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.^{(N) 5} The name written on her forehead was a mystery:^(O)

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,^(R) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷ Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery^(S) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.^{(T) 8} The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss^(U) and go to its destruction.^(V) The inhabitants of the earth^(W) whose names have not been written in the book of life^(X) from the creation of the world will be astonished^(Y) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹ “This calls for a mind with wisdom.^(Z) The seven heads^(AA) are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast who once was, and now is not,^(AB) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹² “The ten horns^(AC) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour^(AD) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.^{(AE) 14} They will wage war^(AF) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over^(AG) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings^(AH)—and with him will be his called, chosen^(AI) and faithful followers.”

¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, “The waters^(AJ) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.^{(AK) 16} The beast and the ten horns^(AL) you saw will hate the prostitute.^(AM) They will bring her to ruin^(AN) and leave her naked;^(AO) they will eat her flesh^(AP) and burn her with fire.^{(AQ) 17} For God has put it into their hearts^(AR) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,^(AS) until God’s words are fulfilled.^{(AT) 18} The woman you saw is the great city^(AU) that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Clean Garments for the High Priest

3 Then he showed me Joshua^(A) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan^[a](B) standing at his right side to accuse him. ² The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you,^(C) Satan! The Lord, who has chosen^(D) Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick^(E) snatched from the fire?”^(F)

³ Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. ⁴ The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin,^(G) and I will put fine garments^(H) on you.”

⁵ Then I said, “Put a clean turban^(I) on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

⁶ The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: ⁷ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements,^(J) then you will govern my house^(K) and have charge^(L) of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.^(M)

⁸ “‘Listen, High Priest^(N) Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic^(O) of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.^{(P) 9} See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua!^(Q) There are seven eyes^[b](R) on that one stone,^(S) and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin^(T) of this land in a single day.

¹⁰ “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit^(U) under your vine and fig tree,^(V)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

4 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke^(W) me up, like someone awakened from sleep.^{(X) 2} He asked me, “What do you see?”^(Y)

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand^(Z) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps^(AA) on it, with seven channels to the lamps. ³ Also there are two olive trees^(AB) by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

⁴ I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

⁵ He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.^(AC)

⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:^(AD) ‘Not^(AE) by might nor by power,^(AF) but by my Spirit,’^(AG) says the Lord Almighty.

⁷ “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.^(AH) Then he will bring out the capstone^(AI) to shouts^(AJ) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation^(AK) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.^(AL) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me^(AM) to you.

¹⁰ “Who dares despise the day^(AN) of small things,^(AO) since the seven eyes^(AP) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone^[c] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”^(AQ)

¹¹ Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees^(AR) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

¹² Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

¹³ He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

¹⁴ So he said, “These are the two who are anointed^(AS) to^[d] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

The Flying Scroll

5 I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.^(AT)

² He asked me, “What do you see?”^(AU)

I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.^[e]”

³ And he said to me, “This is the curse^(AV) that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief^(AW) will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely^(AX) will be banished. ⁴ The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely^(AY) by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.^(AZ)’”

The Woman in a Basket

⁵ Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”

⁶ I asked, “What is it?”

He replied, “It is a basket.^(BA)” And he added, “This is the iniquity^[f] of the people throughout the land.”

⁷ Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! ⁸ He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.^(BB)

⁹ Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork,^(BC) and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

¹⁰ “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me.

¹¹ He replied, “To the country of Babylonia^[g](BD) to build a house^(BE) for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”^(BF)