Revelation 17

1And one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here; I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters."

2With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3He carried me in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the unclean things of her sexual immorality.

5And on her forehead was written a name: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and the abominations of the earth.

6And I saw the woman drunk on the blood of the saints and on the blood of Jesus' witnesses; and seeing her, I marveled with great wonder.

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

8The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss and go into destruction; and those dwelling on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present.

9Here is the mind possessing wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings.

10Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.

11And the beast that was and is not—it itself is the eighth, and is from the seven, and goes to destruction.

12And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast.

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

14These will wage 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 called, chosen, and faithful.

15And he says to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples and crowds, nations and languages."

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

17For God has put it in their hearts to carry out his purpose and to act with one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are accomplished.

18And the woman you saw is the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.