Revelation 17

1 And one of the seven agents who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, Come, I will show thee the judgment of the great whore who sits upon the many waters

Then one of the seven angels who were carrying the seven bowls came and spoke to me. "Come with me," he said, "and I will show you the doom of the great Harlot who sits upon many waters.

2 with whom the kings of the earth fornicated, and those who inhabit the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.

The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication."

3 And he carried me away in spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast containing names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

So he carried me away in the Spirit into a desert, and there I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored Wild Beast which was covered with names of blasphemy and had seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup containing abominations and the filthy things of her fornication,

The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and was brilliantly attired with gold and jewels and pearls. She held in her hand a cup of gold, full of abominations, and she gave filthy indications of her fornication.

5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF WHORES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And on her forehead was a name written: "I am a symbol of great Babylon, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth."

6 And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the sanctified, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And having seen her, I wondered with great amazement.

And I saw the woman drinking herself drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her I was filled with utter astonishment.

7 And the agent said to me, Why did thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.

Then the angel said to me, "Why are you so astonished? I will explain to you the secret meaning of the woman and of the seven-headed, ten-horned Wild Beast which carries her.

8 The beast that thou saw was, and is not, and is going to ascend out of the abyss and go into destruction. And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will come. (Abyssos g12)

"The Wild Beast which you have seen was, and is not, and yet is destined to re-ascend, before long, out of the bottomless pit and go his way into perdition. And the inhabitants of the earth will be filled with amazement--all whose names are not in the Book of Life, having been recorded there ever since the creation of the world--when they see the Wild Beast: because he was, and is not, and yet is to come. (Abyssos g12)

9 Here is the mind that has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains where the woman sits on them.

Here is scope for the exercise of a mind that has wisdom! The seven heads are the seven hills on which the woman sits.

10 And there are seven kings, the five are fallen, the one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain a little while.

And they are seven kings: five of them have fallen, and the one is still reigning. The seventh has not yet come, but when he comes he must continue for a short time.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, he also is an eighth, and is of the seven, and he goes into destruction.

And the Wild Beast which once existed but does not now exist--he is an eighth king and yet is one of the seven and he goes his way into perdition.

12 And the ten horns that thou saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings one hour with the beast.

"And the ten horns which you have seen are ten kings who have not yet come to the throne, but for a single hour they are to receive authority as kings along with the Wild Beast.

13 These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

They have one common policy, and they are to give their power and authority to the Wild Beast.

14 These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. And those with him are the called and chosen and faithful.

They will make war upon the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings. And those who accompany Him--called, as they are, and chosen, and faithful--shall share in the victory."

15 And he says to me, The waters that thou saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

He also said to me, "The waters which you have seen, on which the Harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, nations and languages.

16 And the ten horns that thou saw, and the beast, these will hate the whore, and will make her desolate, and will make her naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her with fire.

And the ten horns that you have seen--and the Wild Beast--these will hate the Harlot, and they will cause her to be laid waste and will strip her bare. They will eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire.

17 For God gave in their hearts to do his will. Even to do one will, and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God would be ended.

For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose, and to carry out a common purpose and to give their kingdom to the Wild Beast until God's words have come to pass.

18 And the woman whom thou saw is the great city having reign over the kings of the earth.

And the woman whom you have seen is the great city which has kingly power over the kings of the earth."