The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John (WEB)
17: 1One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come
here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 17:2with whom
the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who dwell in the earth were made
drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality." 17:3He carried me away in the Spirit into a
wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored animal, full of blasphemous names, having
seven heads and ten horns. 17:4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold
and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the
unclean things of her sexual immorality, 17:5and on her forehead a name written, "MYSTERY,
BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." 17:6I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints,
and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
17:7The angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of
the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 17:8The beast that you saw
was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into destruction. Those who
dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, when they see the beast, how that he was, and is not, and will come.
17:9Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman
sits. 17:10They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come. When he
comes, he must continue a little while. 17:11The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth,
and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction. 17:12The ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who
have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour.
17:13These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 17:14These will war
against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.
They also will overcome who are with him, called and chosen and faithful." 17:15He said to me,
"The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and
languages. 17:16The ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute, and will
make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her utterly with fire. 17:17For God
has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, and to come to unity of mind, and to give their
kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. 17:18The woman whom you
saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth."