Revelation 17

1And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters;

1One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, 'Come here, I will show you the judgment of the famous prostitute who sits on many waters.'

2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.

2The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the people living on earth became drunk on the wine of her immorality.

3And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

3The angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast that was covered with insulting names against God; it had seven heads and ten horns.

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,

4The woman wore purple and scarlet clothes and was decorated with gold, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup full of disgusting things and the filth of her immorality.

5and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

5On her forehead was written a secret name: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

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.

6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and the blood of those who were killed for testifying about Jesus. When I saw her, I was completely amazed.

7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.

7The angel asked me, 'Why are you so surprised? I will explain to you the secret meaning of the woman and the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.'

8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.

8'The beast you saw was once alive, but now is not. He is about to come up out of the bottomless pit and go to his destruction. The people living on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life since the world began will be amazed when they see the beast, because he was, and is not, and yet will appear.'

9Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth:

9'This requires a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains where the woman sits.'

10and they are seven kings; the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while.

10'They are also seven kings. Five have already fallen, one is ruling now, and the other has not yet come; when he does come, he must stay for only a little while.'

11And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition.

11'The beast that once lived but now is gone is an eighth king. He belongs to the group of seven and is headed for destruction.'

12And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour.

12'The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet started to rule, but they will be given authority to rule as kings along with the beast for one hour.'

13These have one mind, and they give their power and authority unto the beast.

13'These kings all have one purpose, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.'

14These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful.

14'They will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. His followers—the called, chosen, and faithful—will be with him in victory.'

15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

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

16And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire.

16'The ten horns you saw and the beast will eventually hate the prostitute. They will leave her penniless and naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her up with fire.'

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.

17'For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by agreeing to give their royal power to the beast until God’s words are fulfilled.'

18And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

18'The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.'