The Mystery Explained

6 I could see that the woman [was] drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.

7 “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

8 The beast that you saw—it was, and [now] is no more, [but] is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to [its] destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from [the] foundation of [the] world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.

9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, [and] the other {has} not yet come. [But] when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

11 The beast that was, and [now] is not, is an eighth [king], who belongs to the [other] seven and is going into destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who {have} not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast. 13 These [kings] have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.