4
The woman
1was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned
2with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand
3a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
5
And on her forehead was written a name of
4mystery:
5"Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations."
6
And I saw the woman, drunk
6with the blood of the saints, the blood of
7the martyrs of Jesus.When I saw her, I marveled greatly.
7
But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you
8the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.
8
The beast that you saw
9was, and is not, and
10is about to rise from
11the bottomless pit and
12go to destruction. And
13the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in
14the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because
15it was and is not and is to come.
9
16This 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 does come he must remain only a little while.
11
As for the beast
17that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.
12
And
18the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings
19for one hour, together with the beast.
13
These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.
14
They
20will make war on the Lamb, and
21the Lamb will conquer them, for he is
22Lord of lords and
23King of kings, and those with him are
24called and chosen and faithful."