Revelation 17:7-15

English Standard Version

⁷ But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you ^(A)the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. ⁸ The beast that you saw ^(B)was, and is not, and ^(C)is about to rise from ^(D)the bottomless pit^[a] and ^(E)go to destruction. And ^(F)the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in ^(G)the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because ^(H)it was and is not and is to come. ^9 (I)This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; ¹⁰ they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. ¹¹ As for the beast ^(J)that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. ¹² And ^(K)the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings ^(L)for one hour, together with the beast. ¹³ These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ They ^(M)will make war on the Lamb, and ^(N)the Lamb will conquer them, for he is ^(O)Lord of lords and ^(P)King of kings, and those with him are ^(Q)called and chosen and faithful.”

¹⁵ And the angel^[b] said to me, ^(R)“The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.