Revelation 17:9-18

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁹ “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; also, they are seven kings,^{(A) 10} of whom five have fallen, one is living, and the other has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain only a little while. ¹¹ As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth, but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. ¹² And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.^{(B) 13} These are united in yielding their power and authority to the beast; ¹⁴ they will wage war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”^(C)

¹⁵ And he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore^[a] is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.^{(D) 16} And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the whore;^[b] they will make her desolate and naked; they will devour her flesh and burn her up with fire.^{(E) 17} For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by agreeing to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.^{(F) 18} The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”^(G)