Revelation 17

1 And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying to me, Come hither; I will show to thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters;

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.

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed lewd deeds, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her lewdness.

[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.”

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

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.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet-color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her lewdness:

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].

5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

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.”

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

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.

7 And the angel said to me, Why didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

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.

8 The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Abyssos g12)

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)

9 And here [is] the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

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.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, [and] the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short time.

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].

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

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.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

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.

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast.

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].

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 they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful.

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.”

15 And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and languages.

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].

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

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.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

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].

18 And the woman whom thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

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