Devine Scripture

Revelation 17:18

What does Revelation 17:18 mean?

A plain-English look at Revelation 17:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Revelation 17:18 means

The angel finally identifies the woman: she is “the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” In John’s day, this pointed most immediately to the imperial city dominating the known world, while the title “Babylon” marks her as the archetype of any world-dominating, idolatrous civilization. The woman is not less than a city, yet more than one city; she is the concentrated expression of human culture organized against God. By naming her a reigning city, the text ties the spiritual harlotry to concrete political, economic, and cultural power. Her fall, detailed in the next chapter, will thus be earthshaking and instructive for every age.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the woman whom you saw is the great town, which is ruling over the kings of the earth.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the woman that thou didst see is the great city that is having reign over the kings of the land.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the woman which thou sawest is the great city which hath kingdom over the kings of the earth.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the woman which thou sawest is the great city, which has kingship over the kings of the earth.

Context

The chapter closes by grounding the symbol in historical reality: a great city ruling the earth’s kings. This both anchored the vision for the first readers and extended its relevance wherever Babylon-like systems arise. Having traced the woman’s allure, her murderous heart, the beast’s backing, the kings’ complicity, and God’s sovereignty over their schemes, Revelation 17 ends ready for Revelation 18’s lament over Babylon’s fall. The identification ensures readers apply the vision to real-world powers, not abstractions alone.

v.17For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.

v.18This passage

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Revelation 16:19

    And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

  • Daniel 2:40

    And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.

  • Daniel 7:23

    Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

  • Revelation 18:2

    And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.

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