Revelation 17

1 And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven cups, and talked with me, saying: Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot that sits on many waters,

One of the seven angels who had been holding the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the condemnation of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters.

2 with whom the kings of the earth have practiced lewdness, and with the wine of whose lewdness the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk.

It is with her that the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. It is with the wine of her sexual immorality that the earth's inhabitants became drunk.”

3 And he carried me away in spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, that was full of impious names, and that had seven heads and ten horns.

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names. The beast had seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls; and she had in her hand a golden cup full of idolatrous pollutions, and the impurities of her lewdness.

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and was adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She was holding in her hand a golden cup full of detestable things and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

5 And on her forehead was a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND OF THE IDOLATROUS POLLUTIONS OF THE EARTH.

On her forehead was written a name having a secret meaning: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”

6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs for Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

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

But the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the meaning of the woman and of the beast that is carrying her, the beast that has the seven heads and the ten horns.

8 The beast that you saw, was, and is not, and will come out of the abyss, and go to perdition; and those who dwell on the earth, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder, when they see the beast that was, and is not, though he is yet present. (Abyssos g12)

The beast you saw existed, does not exist now, but is about to come up from the bottomless pit. Then it will go on to destruction. Those who live on the earth, those whose names have not been written in the Book of Life since the foundation of the world—they will be astounded when they see the beast that existed, does not exist now, but is about to come. (Abyssos g12)

9 Here is the mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.

This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is seated.

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

They are also seven kings. Five kings have fallen, one exists, and the other has not yet come; when he comes, he can remain only for a little while.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to perdition.

The beast that existed, but does not exist now, is itself also an eighth king; but it is one of those seven kings, and it is going to destruction.

12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but receive authority as kings at the same time with the beast.

The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings for one hour together with the beast.

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

These are of one mind, and they give over their power and authority to the beast.

14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

They will wage war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him are the called ones, the chosen ones, and the faithful ones.”

15 And he said to me: The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

The angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

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

The ten horns that you saw—they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, they will devour her flesh, and they will burn her completely with fire.

17 For God has put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God be accomplished.

For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by agreeing to give their power to rule to the beast until God's words are fulfilled.

18 And the woman that you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.

The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”