Revelation Chapter 17 — The Mystery of Babylon
An angel shows John the judgment of a mysterious woman called Babylon who sits on a scarlet beast and rules over the kings of the earth.
1One 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,
2with 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.”
3He 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.
4The 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.
5And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
6I 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.
7The 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.
8The 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.*TR reads “yet is” instead of “shall be present”
9Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
10They 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.
11The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction.
12The 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.
13These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.
14These 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.”
15He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
16The 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.
17For 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.
18The woman whom you saw is the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Revelation 17:5
“And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.””
This verse provides the formal name and identity of the mysterious figure who serves as a central antagonist in the chapter.
Revelation 17:14
“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.”
This verse declares the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ over the forces that oppose Him.
Chapter Summary
In Revelation 17, John is carried into the wilderness by an angel to witness the judgment of a prostitute named 'Mystery, Babylon the Great.' She is depicted wearing purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and jewels, and sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. The woman is described as being drunk with the blood of the saints. The angel explains the symbolic meaning of the vision: the waters she sits upon represent peoples and nations, while the seven heads represent both seven mountains and seven kings. The ten horns signify ten kings who give their power to the beast to war against the Lamb. Ultimately, the Lamb will overcome them because He is the King of kings. In a surprising turn, the beast and the ten kings eventually turn against the woman, destroying her as part of God's sovereign plan. The chapter concludes by identifying the woman as the great city that reigns over the earth's rulers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The text identifies the woman as 'Mystery, Babylon the Great' and describes her as a great city that reigns over the kings of the earth. She is depicted as being adorned in luxury and drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
The angel explains that the seven heads represent seven mountains on which the woman sits, as well as seven kings. The ten horns represent ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but will receive authority to rule with the beast for a short time.
The text states that although the beast and the ten kings war against the Lamb, the Lamb overcomes them because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who follow the Lamb are described as called, chosen, and faithful.
Study Note
The description of the woman sitting on 'seven mountains' in verse 9 is a historical detail that many scholars associate with the topography of ancient Rome.
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