Revelation 17

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

1One of the seven angels came and talked with me. He was one of the angels holding the seven bowls. He said, "Come here. I will show you how God will punish the great unfaithful woman. She sits on many waters."

NoteThe KJV calls her a "whore" and speaks of "fornication." These old words describe someone who broke a marriage promise. Verse 18 says this woman stands for a great city.

2With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

2The kings of the earth were unfaithful with her. The people of the earth drank her wine. That wine was her unfaithfulness, and it made them drunk.

3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

3So the angel carried me away by the Spirit into the desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a bright red animal. The animal was covered with names that insulted God. It had seven heads and ten horns.

NoteThe KJV word "beast" here means a wild animal, not a farm animal or a pet.

4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

4The woman wore purple and bright red clothes. She was covered with gold, jewels, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup. The cup was full of dirty and disgusting things from her unfaithfulness.

5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

5A name was written on her forehead. It was a hidden name with a hidden meaning. It said: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF UNFAITHFUL WOMEN AND OF THE DISGUSTING THINGS OF THE EARTH.

6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's people. They were killed because they told others about Jesus. When I saw her, I was very amazed.

NoteThe KJV says John "wondered with great admiration." In 1611, "admiration" meant amazement. It did not mean he liked what he saw.

7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

7The angel said to me, "Why are you so amazed? I will tell you the hidden meaning of the woman. I will also explain the animal that carries her. It has seven heads and ten horns.

8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

8The animal you saw was alive before. Now it is not. It will come up out of the deep pit. Then it will go to be destroyed. People who live on the earth will be amazed when they see it. They are the ones whose names were never written in the book of life. That book was written before the world was made. They will see the animal that was, and is not, and yet is.

9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

9This needs a wise mind to understand. The seven heads are seven mountains. The woman sits on those mountains.

10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

10The seven heads are also seven kings. Five of them have already fallen. One is king right now. The last one has not come yet. When he comes, he may stay only a short time.

11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

11The animal that was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs with the other seven. He is going to be destroyed.

12And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

12The ten horns you saw are ten kings. They have not been given a kingdom yet. But they will rule as kings with the animal for one hour. That means only a very short time.

13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

13These ten kings all want the same thing. They will give their power and their strength to the animal.

14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

14They will go to war against the Lamb. That is the name this book uses for Jesus. But the Lamb will win. He is Lord over all lords and King over all kings. The ones with him are called, chosen, and faithful."

15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

15Then the angel said to me, "You saw waters where the woman sits. Those waters are peoples and crowds and nations and languages.

16And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

16The ten horns you saw on the animal will hate the woman. They will leave her with nothing at all. They will take away her clothes. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

17God put this in their hearts. They will do what he wants. They will agree together to give their kingdom to the animal. This will go on until God's words come true.

18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

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