Revelation 17

1 One of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and talked with me. “Come here,” he said, “and I will show you the judgment of the infamous prostitute that sits beside many waters.

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me saying, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits on the many waters,

2 The kings of the earth have committed adultery with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her immorality.”

with whom the kings of the earth fornicated; and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

3 Then he carried me off in the Spirit to a deserted place, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns and was covered in blasphemous names.

So he took me away in spirit to a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and wore jewelry made of gold and gems and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of obscene things and her disgusting immorality.

And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.

5 A name of mystery was written on her forehead: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the World's Obscene Things.

And on her forehead a name was written: “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the prostitutes and the abominations of the earth.”

6 I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of believers, and on the blood of martyrs who had died for Jesus. When I saw her, I was totally amazed.

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, even with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And upon seeing her I was tremendously impressed.

7 The angel asked me, “Why were you amazed? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and the beast she rode which has seven heads and ten horns.

So the angel said to me: “Why are you impressed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, having the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her.

8 The beast you saw once was, but is not, will soon come up again out of the Abyss, and will then be completely destroyed. Those that live on the earth who don't have their names written in the book of life will be amazed when they see the beast that once was but is not, and yet shall return. (Abyssos g12)

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the Abyss and to go into perdition. And those who dwell upon the earth will be amazed, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not and will be present. (Abyssos g12)

9 A mind that has understanding is needed here. The seven heads are seven hills where the woman sits,

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

10 they are seven kings. Five have already fallen, one is reigning now, and the last is still to come—and his reign will be short.

And there are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not come yet. And whenever he comes he must continue a short time.

11 The beast that was, and is not, is also an eighth king and belongs to the seven. He too will be completely destroyed.

And the beast that was and is not; he is actually the eighth, yet he is of the seven, and he is going into perdition.

12 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not begun to reign yet. However, they will be given authority to reign as kings together with the beast for one hour.

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

13 They have one agreed purpose: to give their power and authority to the beast.

These are of one mind and give their power and authority to the Beast.

14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will defeat them for he is Lord of lords and King of kings. His followers are called and chosen, and they trust in him.”

They will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”

15 The angel went on to explain to me, “The waters that you saw where the harlot was sitting represent peoples, crowds of people, nations, and languages.

Then he says to me: “The waters that you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

16 The ten horns that you saw and the beast will detest the prostitute, and will take away everything she has and strip her naked, eat her flesh and burn her to ashes.

And the ten horns that you saw, also the beast, these will hate the whore and will lay her waste and strip her and eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

17 For God put into their minds to do what he wanted, to have one agreed purpose: to give their kingdom to the beast—and so God's words will be fulfilled.

Because God put it into their hearts to perform His purpose, even to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the Beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled.

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

Now the woman whom you saw is the great city that holds rulership over the kings of the earth.