Revelation 17

1One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls spoke to me. The angel said: Come! I will show you how the great prostitute will be judged. She is the one who sits on many waters.

2The kings of the earth committed sexual sin with her, and the people of the earth got drunk on the wine of her sinful ways.

3The angel carried me away in the Spirit into a barren desert. I saw a woman sitting astride a scarlet beast. Blasphemous names insulting God covered the entire beast! The monster had seven ferocious heads and ten horns.

4The woman wore luxurious royal robes of purple and scarlet. She glittered with expensive gold, sparkling gems, and pearls! She held a golden cup filled with filthy, disgusting abominations.

5A mysterious name was branded across her forehead: Babylon the Great, mother of prostitutes and earthly abominations!

6I saw that the woman was staggering drunk! She was drunk on the blood of God's holy people. She drank the blood of faithful martyrs who testified about Jesus. When I saw her, I was stunned with total shock!

7The angel asked: Why are you paralyzed with shock? I will explain the hidden secret of the woman and the beast!

8The beast you saw once lived, but now is gone. Yet it will soon climb out of the bottomless abyss! Then it will march straight into eternal destruction. Unsaved earth dwellers will marvel when they see the beast. Their names were never recorded in the Book of Life! They will marvel because the beast was, is not, and will appear!

9This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings.

10Five kings have fallen, one is ruling now, and the other has not yet come. When he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

11The beast that once was, and now is not, is itself an eighth king. It belongs with the seven and is going to its destruction.

12The ten horns represent ten allied kings who have not yet reigned. They will receive royal authority for one brief hour alongside the beast.

13These kings share one single purpose: they surrender their sovereign power and military might to the beast.

14Together, they will wage war against the Lamb! But the Lamb will crush and conquer them completely! For He is Lord of lords and King of kings! Standing with Him are His called, chosen, and faithful followers!

15Then the angel said to me: The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, crowds, nations, and languages.

16The beast and the ten horns will violently hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked and leave her utterly ruined! They will devour her flesh and incinerate her with fire!

17God put it into their hearts to execute His divine plan. They will unite and surrender their kingdom to the beast. They will rule until every word of God is completely fulfilled!

18The woman you saw represents the corrupt world city. She reigns supreme over all the rulers of the earth.