Revelation 17

¹ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters.

² The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk on the wine of her immorality."

³ Then he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

⁴ The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup full of detestable things and the filth of her immorality.

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

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore witness to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was utterly amazed.

⁷ Then the angel said to me: "Why are you amazed? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, the beast with the seven heads and ten horns.

⁸ The beast you saw once was, now is not, and is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be amazed when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹ This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings.

¹⁰ Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

¹¹ The beast that once was, and now is not, is itself an eighth king. It belongs to the seven and is going to its destruction.

¹² The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings, together with the beast.

¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.

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 his called, chosen, and faithful followers.

¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

¹⁶ The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked; they will devour her flesh and burn her with fire.

¹⁷ For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their royal authority, until God's words are fulfilled.

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