The Great Prostitute and the Beast

1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show yoʋ the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters.

2With her the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and those who dwell on the earth have become drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

3So he carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on ²⁷⁶a scarlet beast, the one that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

4The ²⁷⁷woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filth of ²⁷⁸the fornication of the earth.

5A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.”

6And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the ²⁷⁹saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly amazed.

7But the angel said to me, “Why are yoʋ so amazed? I will tell yoʋ the mystery of the woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

8The beast that yoʋ saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. Those who dwell on the earth, ²⁸⁰everyone whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be amazed when they see ²⁸¹that the beast was and is not and ²⁸²will be back.

9This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.

10They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and another has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

11The beast that was and is not, is an eighth king. Yet he is one of the seven and is on his way to destruction.

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

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

14They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

15Then the angel said to me, “The waters yoʋ saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

16The ²⁸³beast and the ten horns yoʋ saw will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate ²⁸⁴and naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose ²⁸⁵by being of one mind and handing their kingdom over to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.

18As for the woman yoʋ saw, she is the great city that has dominion over the kings ²⁸⁶over the earth.”