17:1 Then ¹  one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. ²  “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment ³  of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.” ⁴  17:3 So ⁵  he carried me away in the Spirit ⁶  to a wilderness, ⁷  and there ⁸  I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 17:4 Now ⁹  the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, ¹⁰  and adorned with gold, ¹¹  precious stones, and pearls. She held ¹²  in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality. ¹³  17:5 On ¹⁴  her forehead was written a name, a mystery: ¹⁵  “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.” 17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. ¹⁶  I ¹⁷  was greatly astounded ¹⁸  when I saw her. 17:7 But ¹⁹  the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret ²⁰  for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 17:8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss ²¹  and then go to destruction. The ²²  inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see that ²³  the beast was, and is not, but is to come. 17:9 (This requires ²⁴  a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains ²⁵  the woman sits on. They are also seven kings: 17:10 five have fallen; one is, ²⁶  and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time. 17:11 The ²⁷  beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction. 17:12 The ²⁸  ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority ²⁹  as kings with the beast for one hour. 17:13 These kings ³⁰  have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 17:14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying ³¹  the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”

17:15 Then ³²  the angel ³³  said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, ³⁴  nations, and languages. 17:16 The ³⁵  ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They ³⁶  will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. ³⁷  17:17 For God has put into their minds ³⁸  to carry out his purpose ³⁹  by making ⁴⁰  a decision ⁴¹  to give their royal power ⁴²  to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. ⁴³  17:18 As for ⁴⁴  the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”