Revelation 17

1 One of the seven angels, who had [one of] the seven bowls, came to me. He said to me, “Come [with me], and I will show you how [God] will punish the very evil [city that is represented by] [SYM] a prostitute, a city in which there are many canals [of] water.

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

2 [It is as though] the rulers of earth have acted immorally [and idolatrously] with the people of that city [MET], and they [have persuaded people] who live on the earth to act immorally [and idolatrously] with them [MET], [just like a prostitute persuades men to drink] the [strong] wine [she gives them, resulting in their] becoming drunk [and] then committing sexual immorality. with her.”

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

3 Then, as [God’s] Spirit [controlled me], the angel carried me away to a desolate area. There I saw a woman who was sitting on a red beast. The beast had names [written] all over itself. They were names that (insulted/spoke evil against) [God]. The beast had seven heads and ten horns.

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.

4 The woman [that I saw] was wearing purple and red [clothes]; and gold, precious stones, and pearls were fastened to her [clothes and her body]. She held in her hand a golden cup. The cup was full of [a liquid that represents] [SYM] the detestable/disgusting, idolatrous things and filthy immoral things that she [does].

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,

5 This name, that has a hidden/secret [meaning], was written on her forehead: “[This woman is] Babylon, the very evil [city! She acts like] the mother of the prostitutes on the earth. She teaches them to [act] immorally and to worship idols.”

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

6 I saw that the woman had become drunk as a result of drinking the blood of God’s people, those who had told others about Jesus. When I saw her, I was very bewildered/perplexed.

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.

7 The angel said to me, “Do not be bewildered [RHQ]! I will explain to you the hidden/secret meaning of the woman and of the beast on which she rides, the beast that has the seven heads and the ten horns.

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.

8 The beast that you saw [lived] previously. Eventually God will destroy him, but now he is dead. He is [about to] come up (from the underworld/from the deep dark pit). [When] the beast who had previously lived, and who then had died, reappears, the people who live on the earth will be amazed. [They are people whose] names were not in the book in which are written the names of people [who will] have eternal life. [The angels have been writing those names in a list] (from the beginning of the world/from the time when the world began). (Abyssos g12)

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)

9 Those who [think] wisely [can understand] this: The seven heads [of the beast] on which the woman sits [symbolize] the seven hills [of the city that the woman represents]. They also [symbolize] seven rulers.

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

10 Five [of those rulers] have died. One is [still alive]. The seventh [ruler] has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain on earth for [only] a short [time].

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.

11 The beast that [lived] before and then was not [alive] will be the eighth [ruler]. He will be [evil like] the seven [rulers were, but God] will surely destroy him.

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

12 The ten horns that you saw [represent] ten rulers who have not yet begun to rule. They, together with the beast, will be authorized to rule [people for only a short time, as if it were] [MET] for one hour.

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.

13 Those [rulers] will all agree to do the same thing. [As a result] they will give to the beast their power [to rule people] as well as their authority [to rule people] [DOU].

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

14 The rulers and the beast will fight against [Jesus], the [one who is like a] lamb. He will defeat them, because he is Lord [who rules over all other] lords and the King [who rules over all other] kings. Those [people] who are with [and helping him] are the ones whom [God] has chosen, and who keep [serving him] faithfully.”

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.

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw in the city where the prostitute sits represent people-[groups], multitudes [of people], nations, and [speakers of many languages] [MTY].

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

16 The ten horns that you saw [represent rulers] [SYM]. They and the beast will hate [the people in the city] [MTY] that the prostitute [represents]. As a result, they will [take away everything that is in the city, as if] they were [MET] leaving it naked. They will [destroy it as if] [MET] devouring flesh/meat, and they will burn it with fire.

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.

17 They will do that because God has caused them to decide to do what he wants them to do. As a result, they will let the beast have their power to rule until what God has said is fulfilled {until [they] fulfill what God has said} [MTY].

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.

18 The prostitute that you saw [represents] the very evil city [whose leaders] [MTY] rule over the kings of the earth.”

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