Devine Scripture

Revelation 17:5

What does Revelation 17:5 mean?

A plain-English look at Revelation 17:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Revelation 17:5 means

Her forehead bears an open declaration: “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” The word “MYSTERY” signals a symbol with layers—more than a single city, yet embodied in a city. “Babylon” evokes the archetype of human pride, idolatry, and oppression. As “mother,” she is not a lone offender but a source that spawns similar corruptions everywhere. She presides over systems that dress rebellion in religious and cultural respectability. The inscription on her forehead, where honor or shame is displayed, shows that her identity is not hidden to those who have God’s wisdom; her boasts condemn her. She stands as the concentrated picture of global spiritual prostitution.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And on her brow was a name, SECRET, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE EVIL WOMEN AND OF THE UNCLEAN THINGS OF THE EARTH.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and upon her forehead was a name written: `Secret, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Whores, and the Abominations of the earth.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And on her forehead a name was written: A mystery: Babylon the great, the mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, great Babylon, the mother of the harlots, and of the abominations of the earth.

Context

After the lavish description, the woman’s name interprets her. This identification anchors the symbol in biblical history (Babylon as a recurring enemy of God’s people) and extends it into John’s present and the future. The next verse will reveal her violent character against the saints, which unveils the depth of her hostility toward God and His Christ. The movement is from attraction (finery) to self-revelation (name) to the gruesome fruit (blood), fully justifying the judgment announced at the chapter’s start.

v.4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,

v.5This passage

v.6And 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 a great wonder.

Cross references

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

  • Revelation 18:21

    And a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.

  • Philippians 3:19

    whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

  • Revelation 14:8

    And another, a second angel, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that hath made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

  • Revelation 7:3

    saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

  • 2 Timothy 3:1

    But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.

  • Revelation 19:2

    for true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot, her that corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

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