Revelation 17
Expanded Bible
The Woman on the Animal
17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. He said, “Come, and I will show you the ·punishment [judgment] that will be given to the great ·prostitute [whore], the one sitting [or ruling] over many waters [C referring to the Euphrates River and its many waterways (Jer. 51:13), or symbolically to the cosmic forces of evil]. 2 The kings of the earth ·sinned sexually [prostituted themselves; committed fornication] with her, and the people of the earth became drunk from the wine of her ·sexual sin [prostitution; fornication; 14:8].”
3 Then the angel carried me away ·by the Spirit [or in the spirit] to the ·desert [wilderness]. There I saw a woman sitting on a ·red [scarlet] beast. It was covered with ·names against God written on it [blasphemous names], and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and ·red [scarlet] and was ·shining [glittering; adorned] with the gold, precious jewels, and pearls she was wearing. She had a golden cup in her hand, a cup filled with ·evil [abominable; detestable] things and the uncleanness of her ·sexual sin [prostitution; fornication]. 5 On her forehead a ·title [name] was written that was ·secret [a mystery]. This is what was written:
the great babylon
mother of ·prostitutes [whores]
and of the ·evil [abominable; detestable] things of the earth
6 Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of ·God’s holy people [T the saints] and with the blood of ·those who were killed because of their faith in [witnesses to; or martyrs for] Jesus.
When I saw the woman, I was ·very amazed [greatly astonished; L amazed with great amazement]. 7 Then the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed [astonished]? I will tell you the ·secret [mystery] of this woman and the beast ·she rides [that carries her]—the one with seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast you saw ·was once alive but is not alive now [L was, and is not; 13:3, 12, 14]. But soon it will come up out of the ·bottomless pit [Abyss; 9:1] and go away to ·be destroyed [its destruction]. There are people who live on earth whose names have not been written in the ·book [scroll] of life [3:5] since the ·beginning [foundation; creation] of the world. They will be amazed when they see the beast, because he was ·once alive, is not alive now, but will come again [L was, is not, but is to come; C imitating the divine title of the Lamb (1:18; 2:8) and God (1:4, 8; 4:8)].
9 “You need a wise mind to understand this. The seven heads on the beast are seven ·mountains [or hills; C Rome was built on seven hills] where the woman sits. 10 ·And they are seven kings. Five of the kings have ·already been destroyed [L fallen], one of the kings ·lives now [L is], and another has not yet come. When he comes, he must stay a short time. 11 The beast that ·was once alive [L was], but ·is not alive now [L is not], is also an eighth king. He belongs to the first seven kings, and he ·will go away to be destroyed [is heading to destruction].
12 “The ten horns [Dan. 7:7–8, 20–25] you saw are ten kings who have not yet ·begun to rule [received a kingdom], but they will receive ·power [authority] to rule with the beast for one hour [C a short time]. 13 All ten of these kings have ·the same [L one] ·purpose [intention], and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war against the Lamb [C Jesus], but the Lamb will ·defeat [conquer; be victorious over] them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. ·He will defeat them with his called, chosen, and faithful followers [or Those with him are called, chosen and faithful].”
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the ·prostitute [whore] sits, are peoples, ·races [multitudes; crowds], nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the ·prostitute [whore]. They will ·take everything she has [make her desolate] and leave her naked. They will eat her body and burn her with fire [Ezek. 23:25–29]. 17 [L For] God ·made the ten horns want [L put it into their hearts] to carry out his ·purpose [intention] by agreeing to give the beast their ·power to rule [kingdom], until ·what God has said comes about [L the word of God has been fulfilled/completed]. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” [C Whether symbolized by Rome, Babylon, Sodom or apostate Jerusalem, this city is ultimately the human world system ruled by Satan standing in opposition to the city of God, the new Jerusalem.]
Revelation 17
English Standard Version
The Great Prostitute and the Beast
17 Then (A)one of the seven angels who had (B)the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of (C)the great prostitute (D)who is seated on many waters, 2 (E)with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and (F)with the wine of whose sexual immorality (G)the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And (H)he carried me away in the Spirit (I)into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on (J)a scarlet beast that was full of (K)blasphemous names, and (L)it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman (M)was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned (N)with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand (O)a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of (P)mystery: (Q)“Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk (R)with the blood of the saints, the blood of (S)the martyrs of Jesus.[a]
When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you (T)the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw (U)was, and is not, and (V)is about to rise from (W)the bottomless pit[b] and (X)go to destruction. And (Y)the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in (Z)the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because (AA)it was and is not and is to come. 9 (AB)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 (AC)that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And (AD)the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings (AE)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 (AF)will make war on the Lamb, and (AG)the Lamb will conquer them, for he is (AH)Lord of lords and (AI)King of kings, and those with him are (AJ)called and chosen and faithful.”
15 And the angel[c] said to me, (AK)“The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And (AL)the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast (AM)will hate the prostitute. They will make her (AN)desolate and (AO)naked, and (AP)devour her flesh and (AQ)burn her up with fire, 17 for (AR)God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and (AS)handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is (AT)the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Footnotes
- Revelation 17:6 Greek the witnesses to Jesus
- Revelation 17:8 Greek the abyss
- Revelation 17:15 Greek he
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
