1
Then one 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.

2
With her the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

3
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

4
The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

5
And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “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 saints and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.
And when I saw her, I marveled greatly.

7
But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

8
The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the abyss and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.

9
This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated,

10
they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain only a little while.

11
As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.

12
And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but for one hour they will receive authority as kings, together with the beast.

13
These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

14
They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

15
And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

16
And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire,

17
for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

18
And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

📖 Revelation 17 – The Great Prostitute and the Beast

🌍 Verses 1–2 – The Great Prostitute Sits on Many Waters

“Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute…”

• One of the seven angels invites John to see the judgment of the great prostitute.
• She is pictured sitting on many waters, a symbol of the nations and peoples throughout the world (v. 15).
• The kings of the earth committed adultery with her → meaning they cooperated with a world system opposed to God.

🐉 Verses 3–6 – The Woman on the Beast

“I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast…”

The woman’s features:

• Dressed in luxury: purple, fine linen, gold, and precious stones.
• A golden cup filled with abominations and impurities.
• Name on her forehead:
  “MYSTERY: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”
• Drunk with the blood of the saints and the witnesses of Jesus.

The beast’s features:

• Scarlet, full of blasphemous names, with 7 heads and 10 horns.
• This beast is the same one seen in Revelation 13 → representing the Antichrist.

😮 Verses 7–14 – Explanation of the Beast

“The beast that once was, and now is not, will rise from the abyss…”

Explanation:

• The beast once was, is not now, and will come again → a picture of the Antichrist who will rise and lead a world system against Christ.
• The world will be amazed, except those whose names are written in the Book of Life.

🌄 Symbol of the 7 Heads and 10 Horns:

They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb (Jesus) will conquer them (v. 14).

🏙️ Verses 15–18 – The Beast Destroys the Prostitute

“…the ten horns… will hate the prostitute, make her naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.”

• The Antichrist and his allies will eventually turn against the false religious system (the great prostitute).
• This fulfills God’s plan: to destroy spiritual Babylon that deceives the world.

The woman is the great city (possibly Rome or a symbol of the world system) that rules over the kings of the earth.

🧠 Reflection & Application

• “The great prostitute” represents a world system that betrays God, including wealth, false religion, and corruption.
• A world that rejects God will destroy one another.
• Christ will win, and those with Him are the chosen and faithful (v. 14).