The Word Am I

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

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- Chapter 17 -

1
One of the seven angels who had been holding the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the condemnation of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters.
2
It is with her that the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. It is with the wine of her sexual immorality that the earth’s inhabitants became drunk.”
3
Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names. The beast had seven heads and ten horns.
4
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and was adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She was holding in her hand a golden cup full of detestable things and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
5
On her forehead was written a name having a secret meaning: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”

The Mystery Explained

6
I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the believers and with the blood of the martyrs for Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
7
But the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the meaning of the woman and of the beast that is carrying her, the beast that has the seven heads and the ten horns.
8
The beast you saw existed, does not exist now, but is about to come up from the bottomless pit. Then it will go on to destruction. Those who live on the earth, those whose names have not been written in The Book of Life since the foundation of the world-they will be astounded when they see the beast that existed, does not exist now, but is about to come.
9
This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is seated.
10
They are also seven kings. Five kings have fallen, one exists, and the other has not yet come; when he comes, he can remain only for a little while.
11
The beast that existed, but does not exist now, is itself also an eighth king; but it is one of those seven kings, and it is going to destruction.
12
The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings for one hour together with the beast.
13
These are of one mind, and they give over their power and authority to the beast.

The Victory of the Lamb

14
They will wage war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings-and with him are the called ones, the chosen ones, and the faithful ones.”
15
The angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
16
The ten horns that you saw-they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, they will devour her flesh, and they will burn her completely with fire.
17
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by agreeing to give their power to rule to the beast until God’s words are fulfilled.
18
The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
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1
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,
2
with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. Those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality.”
3
He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
4
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth.
5
And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

The Mystery Explained

6
I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
7
The angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
8
The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present.(a)
9
Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
10
They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must continue a little while.
11
The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction.
12
The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
13
These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

The Victory of the Lamb

14
These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
15
He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
16
The ten horns which you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute, will make her desolate, will strip her naked, will eat her flesh, and will burn her utterly with fire.
17
For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.
18
The woman whom you saw is the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Footnotes

(a)17:8 TR reads “yet is” instead of “shall be present”
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