The Great Prostitute and the Beast

17 Then 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. 2 With 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.” 3 So he 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 and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The [fn]woman 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 [fn]her fornication. 5 A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.” 6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the [fn]saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly amazed. 7 But 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. 8 The 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, [fn]whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be amazed when they see [fn]that the beast was and is not and [fn]is to come. 9 This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 They 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. 11 The beast that was and is not, is an eighth king. Yet he is one of the seven and is on his way to destruction. 12 The 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. 13 These kings have one mind and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They 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.”

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters yoʋ saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 The [fn]beast and the ten horns yoʋ saw will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing their kingdom over to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 As for the woman yoʋ saw, she is the great city that has dominion over the kings [fn]of the earth.”