Revelation 17-18
New King James Version
The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
17 Then (A)one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying [a]to me, “Come, (B)I will show you the judgment of (C)the great harlot (D)who sits on many waters, 2 (E)with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and (F)the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit (G)into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting (H)on a scarlet beast which was full of (I)names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman (J)was arrayed in purple and scarlet, (K)and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, (L)having in her hand a golden cup (M)full of abominations and the filthiness of [b]her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
(N)MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw (O)the woman, drunk (P)with the blood of the saints and with the blood of (Q)the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast
7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the [c]mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and (R)will ascend out of the bottomless pit and (S)go to [d]perdition. And those who (T)dwell on the earth (U)will marvel, (V)whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and [e]yet is.
9 (W)“Here is the mind which has wisdom: (X)The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must (Y)continue a short time. 11 The (Z)beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to [f]perdition.
12 (AA)“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 (AB)These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will (AC)overcome them, (AD)for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; (AE)and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
15 Then he said to me, (AF)“The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, (AG)are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you [g]saw on the beast, (AH)these will hate the harlot, make her (AI)desolate (AJ)and naked, eat her flesh and (AK)burn her with fire. 17 (AL)For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, (AM)until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw (AN)is that great city (AO)which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
The Fall of Babylon the Great
18 After(AP) these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, (AQ)and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried [h]mightily with a loud voice, saying, (AR)“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and (AS)has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and (AT)a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations (AU)have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, (AV)and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the [i]abundance of her luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, (AW)“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 (AX)For her sins [j]have reached to heaven, and (AY)God has remembered her iniquities. 6 (AZ)Render to her just as she rendered [k]to you, and repay her double according to her works; (BA)in the cup which she has mixed, (BB)mix double for her. 7 (BC)In the measure that she glorified herself and lived [l]luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as (BD)queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come (BE)in one day—death and mourning and famine. And (BF)she will be utterly burned with fire, (BG)for strong is the Lord God who [m]judges her.
The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall
9 (BH)“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her (BI)will weep and lament for her, (BJ)when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, (BK)‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! (BL)For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And (BM)the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 (BN)merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and (BO)souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have [n]gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, (BP)that great city (BQ)that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 (BR)For in one hour such great riches [o]came to nothing.’ (BS)Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 (BT)and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, (BU)‘What is like this great city?’
19 (BV)“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! (BW)For in one hour she [p]is made desolate.’
20 (BX)“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [q]holy apostles and prophets, for (BY)God has avenged you on her!”
Finality of Babylon’s Fall
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, (BZ)“Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and (CA)shall not be found anymore. 22 (CB)The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 (CC)The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, (CD)and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For (CE)your merchants were the great men of the earth, (CF)for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And (CG)in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who (CH)were slain on the earth.”
Footnotes
- Revelation 17:1 NU, M omit to me
- Revelation 17:4 M the fornication of the earth
- Revelation 17:7 hidden truth
- Revelation 17:8 destruction
- Revelation 17:8 NU, M shall be present
- Revelation 17:11 destruction
- Revelation 17:16 NU, M saw, and the beast
- Revelation 18:2 NU, M omit mightily
- Revelation 18:3 Lit. strengths
- Revelation 18:5 NU, M have been heaped up
- Revelation 18:6 NU, M omit to you
- Revelation 18:7 sensually
- Revelation 18:8 NU, M has judged
- Revelation 18:14 NU, M been lost to you
- Revelation 18:17 have been laid waste
- Revelation 18:19 have been laid waste
- Revelation 18:20 NU, M saints and apostles
Revelation 17-18
Young's Literal Translation
17 And there came one of the seven messengers, who were having the seven vials, and he spake with me, saying to me, `Come, I will shew to thee the judgment of the great whore, who is sitting upon the many waters,
2 with whom the kings of the earth did commit whoredom; and made drunk from the wine of her whoredom were those inhabiting the earth;'
3 and he carried me away to a wilderness in the Spirit, and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of evil-speaking, having seven heads and ten horns,
4 and the woman was arrayed with purple and scarlet-colour, and gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom,
5 and upon her forehead was a name written: `Secret, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Whores, and the Abominations of the earth.'
6 And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the saints, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus, and I did wonder -- having seen her -- with great wonder;
7 and the messenger said to me, `Wherefore didst thou wonder? I -- I will tell thee the secret of the woman and of the beast that [is] carrying her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.
8 `The beast that thou didst see: it was, and it is not; and it is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go away to destruction, and wonder shall those dwelling upon the earth, whose names have not been written upon the scroll of the life from the foundation of the world, beholding the beast that was, and is not, although it is.
9 `Here [is] the mind that is having wisdom; the seven heads are seven mountains, upon which the woman doth sit,
10 and there are seven kings, the five did fall, and the one is, the other did not yet come, and when he may come, it behoveth him to remain a little time;
11 and the beast that was, and is not, he also is eighth, and out of the seven he is, and to destruction he doth go away.
12 `And the ten horns that thou sawest, are ten kings, who a kingdom did not yet receive, but authority as kings the same hour do receive with the beast,
13 these have one mind, and their own power and authority to the beast they shall give over;
14 these with the Lamb shall make war, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because Lord of lords he is, and King of kings, and those with him are called, and choice, and stedfast.'
15 And he saith to me, `The waters that thou didst see, where the whore doth sit, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;'
16 and the ten horns that thou didst see upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her in fire,
17 for God did give into their hearts to do its mind, and to make one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast till the sayings of God may be complete,
18 and the woman that thou didst see is the great city that is having reign over the kings of the land.'
18 And after these things I saw another messenger coming down out of the heaven, having great authority, and the earth was lightened from his glory,
2 and he did cry in might -- a great voice, saying, `Fall, fall did Babylon the great, and she became a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird,
3 because of the wine of the wrath of her whoredom have all the nations drunk, and the kings of the earth with her did commit whoredom, and merchants of the earth from the power of her revel were made rich.
4 And I heard another voice out of the heaven, saying, `Come forth out of her, My people, that ye may not partake with her sins, and that ye may not receive of her plagues,
5 because her sins did follow -- unto the heaven, and God did remember her unrighteousness.
6 Render to her as also she did render to you, and double to her doubles according to her works; in the cup that she did mingle mingle to her double.
7 `As much as she did glorify herself and did revel, so much torment and sorrow give to her, because in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and a widow I am not, and sorrow I shall not see;
8 because of this, in one day, shall come her plagues, death, and sorrow, and famine; and in fire she shall be utterly burned, because strong [is] the Lord God who is judging her;
9 and weep over her, and smite themselves for her, shall the kings of the earth, who with her did commit whoredom and did revel, when they may see the smoke of her burning,
10 from afar having stood because of the fear of her torment, saying, Wo, wo, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! because in one hour did come thy judgment.
11 `And the merchants of the earth shall weep and sorrow over her, because their lading no one doth buy any more;
12 lading of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearl, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyne wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble,
13 and cinnamon, and odours, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies and souls of men.
14 `And the fruits of the desire of thy soul did go away from thee, and all things -- the dainty and the bright -- did go away from thee, and no more at all mayest thou find them.
15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, far off shall stand because of the fear of her torment, weeping, and sorrowing,
16 and saying, Wo, wo, the great city, that was arrayed with fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded in gold, and precious stone, and pearls -- because in one hour so much riches were made waste!
17 `And every shipmaster, and all the company upon the ships, and sailors, and as many as work the sea, far off stood,
18 and were crying, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like to the great city?
19 and they did cast dust upon their heads, and were crying out, weeping and sorrowing, saying, Wo, wo, the great city! in which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness -- for in one hour was she made waste.
20 `Be glad over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, because God did judge your judgment of her!'
21 And one strong messenger did take up a stone as a great millstone, and did cast [it] to the sea, saying, `Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast, the great city, and may not be found any more at all;
22 and voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, may not be heard at all in thee any more; and any artizan of any art may not be found at all in thee any more; and noise of a millstone may not be heard at all in thee any more;
23 and light of a lamp may not shine at all in thee any more; and voice of bridegroom and of bride may not be heard at all in thee any more; because thy merchants were the great ones of the earth, because in thy sorcery were all the nations led astray,
24 and in her blood of prophets and of saints was found, and of all those who have been slain on the earth.'
Revelation 17-18
New American Standard Bible
The Doom of Babylon
17 (A)Then one of the (B)seven angels who had the (C)seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you (D)the judgment of the (E)great prostitute who (F)sits on many waters, 2 with whom (G)the kings of the earth committed acts of sexual immorality, and (H)those who live on the earth (I)became drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.” 3 And (J)he carried me away [a](K)in the Spirit (L)into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a (M)scarlet beast, full of (N)blasphemous names, having (O)seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman (P)was clothed in purple and scarlet, and [b]adorned with gold, precious [c]stones, and pearls, holding in her hand (Q)a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her sexual immorality, 5 and on her forehead a name was written, [d]a (R)mystery: “(S)BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF (T)THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” 6 And I saw the woman drunk with (U)the blood of the [e]saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered [f]greatly. 7 And the angel said to me, “Why [g]do you wonder? I will tell you the (V)mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the (W)seven heads and the ten horns.
8 “(X)The beast that you saw (Y)was, and is not, and is about to (Z)come up out of the (AA)abyss and [h](AB)go to destruction. And (AC)those who live on the earth, (AD)whose names have not been written in the book of life (AE)from the foundation of the world, will (AF)wonder when they see the beast, that he was, and is not, and will [i]come. 9 (AG)Here is the mind which has wisdom. The (AH)seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits, 10 and they are seven (AI)kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11 The beast which (AJ)was, and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he (AK)goes to destruction. 12 The (AL)ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast (AM)for one hour. 13 These have (AN)one [j]purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.
Victory for the Lamb
14 These will wage (AO)war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will (AP)overcome them because He is (AQ)Lord of lords and (AR)King of kings; and (AS)those who are with Him are the (AT)called and chosen and faithful.”
15 And he *said to me, “The (AU)waters which you saw where the prostitute sits are (AV)peoples and multitudes, and nations and languages. 16 And the (AW)ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her (AX)desolate and (AY)naked, and will (AZ)eat her flesh and will (BA)burn her up with fire. 17 For (BB)God has put it in their hearts to execute His [k]purpose [l]by (BC)having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the (BD)words of God will be fulfilled. 18 The woman whom you saw is (BE)the great city, which [m]reigns over the kings of the earth.”
Babylon Is Fallen
18 After these things I saw another (BF)angel (BG)coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was (BH)illuminated from his glory. 2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “[n](BI)Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She (BJ)has become a dwelling place of demons and a [o]prison of every (BK)unclean spirit, and a [p]prison of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all the nations have fallen because of the (BL)wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and (BM)the kings of the earth have committed acts of sexual immorality with her, and the (BN)merchants of the earth have become rich from the [q]excessive wealth of her [r](BO)luxury.”
4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “(BP)Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive any of her plagues; 5 for her sins have [s](BQ)piled up as high as heaven, and God has (BR)remembered her offenses. 6 (BS)Pay her back even as she has paid, and [t]give back to her double according to her deeds; in the (BT)cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. 7 (BU)To the extent that she glorified herself and (BV)lived luxuriously, to the same extent give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘(BW)I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ 8 For this reason (BX)in one day her plagues will come, [u]plague and mourning and famine, and she will be (BY)burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her (BZ)is strong.
Grief over Babylon
9 “And (CA)the kings of the earth, who committed acts of sexual immorality and (CB)lived luxuriously with her, will (CC)weep and mourn over her when they (CD)see the smoke of her burning, 10 (CE)standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘(CF)Woe, woe, (CG)the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in (CH)one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the (CI)merchants of the earth (CJ)weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any more— 12 cargo of (CK)gold, silver, precious [v]stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; every kind of citron wood, every article of ivory, and every article made from very valuable wood, [w]bronze, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, [x]spice, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, and cargo of horses, carriages, [y]slaves, and (CL)human lives. 14 The fruit [z]you long for has left you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and people will no longer find them. 15 The (CM)merchants of (CN)these things, who became rich from her, will (CO)stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying, ‘(CP)Woe, woe, (CQ)the great city, she who (CR)was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and [aa]adorned with gold, precious [ab]stones, and pearls; 17 for in (CS)one hour such great wealth has been laid (CT)waste!’ And (CU)every shipmaster and every [ac]passenger and sailor, and all who [ad]make their living by the sea, (CV)stood at a distance, 18 and were (CW)crying out as they (CX)saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘(CY)What city is like (CZ)the great city?’ 19 And they threw (DA)dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘(DB)Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea (DC)became rich from her prosperity, for in (DD)one hour she has been laid (DE)waste!’ 20 (DF)Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [ae]saints and (DG)apostles and prophets, because (DH)God has [af]pronounced judgment for you against her.”
21 Then [ag]a (DI)strong angel (DJ)picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, (DK)the great city, be thrown down with violence, and (DL)will never be found again. 22 And (DM)the sound of harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again; and no craftsman of any craft will ever be found in you again; and the (DN)sound of a mill will never be heard in you again; 23 and the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the (DO)voice of the groom and bride will never be heard in you again; for your (DP)merchants were the powerful people of the earth, because all the nations were deceived (DQ)by your witchcraft. 24 And in her was found the (DR)blood of prophets and of [ah]saints, and of (DS)all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Footnotes
- Revelation 17:3 Or in spirit
- Revelation 17:4 Lit gilded
- Revelation 17:4 Lit stone
- Revelation 17:5 Or “MYSTERY...”
- Revelation 17:6 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Revelation 17:6 Lit with great wonder
- Revelation 17:7 Lit have you wondered
- Revelation 17:8 One early ms is going
- Revelation 17:8 Lit be present
- Revelation 17:13 Or mind
- Revelation 17:17 Or mind
- Revelation 17:17 Lit even to do one mind and to give
- Revelation 17:18 Lit has a kingdom
- Revelation 18:2 Lit Babylon...fell, fell
- Revelation 18:2 Or haunt
- Revelation 18:2 Or haunt
- Revelation 18:3 Lit power
- Revelation 18:3 Or sensuality
- Revelation 18:5 Lit joined together
- Revelation 18:6 Lit double to her
- Revelation 18:8 Lit death; i.e., a particular kind of death
- Revelation 18:12 Lit stone
- Revelation 18:12 Or brass
- Revelation 18:13 Gr amomon, an Indian spice plant
- Revelation 18:13 Lit bodies
- Revelation 18:14 Lit of your soul’s desire
- Revelation 18:16 Lit gilded
- Revelation 18:16 Lit stone and pearl
- Revelation 18:17 Lit one who sails to a place
- Revelation 18:17 Lit work the sea
- Revelation 18:20 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Revelation 18:20 Lit judged your judgment of her
- Revelation 18:21 Lit one
- Revelation 18:24 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
