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.

And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, and spoke to me, saying, "Come hither and I will show you the sentence passed upon the great harlot who sits on 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 have committed adultery, while all who live on the earth have been made drunken by the wine of her immorality."

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.

And he bore me away in the Spirit into the desert, and I saw a woman who sat upon a scarlet beast covered with blasphemous names. It had 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.

The woman was enwrapped in purple and scarlet and was encrusted with gold and precious stones and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup filled with abominations, even the impurities of her immorality.

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

Upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINABLE THINGS 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, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, and I wondered with a great wonder.

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.

And the angel said to me. "Why did you wonder? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns, that carried 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 bottomless pit, and to go into perdition. And those who dwell on the earth shall wonder, those whose names have never, from the foundation of the world, been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, when they gaze on the beast; how he was and is not, and is to come. (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 hills on which the woman is seated;

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 they are seven kings; the five have fallen, one is, the other is not yet come (and when he does come, he must remain 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 who was, but is not, is himself also an eighth, although he is one of the seven kings, and is on his way to 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.

"The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received their kingdoms; but they have received authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.

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

These kings have one mind, and they 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.”

These will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is the Lord of lords, and King of kings. And they who are with him are called and faithful and chosen."

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.

And he also said to me. "The waters which you saw, on which the harlot takes her seat, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

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 which you saw, they and the beast will hate the harlot and make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her up 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.

For God has put it into their hearts to execute his purpose, in executing their common purpose, and by giving over their kingdoms to the beast, until the words of God shall be accomplished.

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

The woman whom you saw is the great city which holds sway over the kings of the earth."