Chapter 17
18 verses — switch translations with the toolbar below.
Scripture
KJV1And 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:
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.
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.
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:
5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS 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.
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.
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.
9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
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.
11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
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.
13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
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.
15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
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.
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.
18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
“These 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.”
Overview
One of the bowl angels shows John the judgment of the great harlot, Babylon, who sits on many waters and rides a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. She is drunk with the blood of the saints and adorned in purple, scarlet, gold, and precious stones. The angel explains the mystery: the waters are peoples and nations, the heads are seven mountains and seven kings, and the ten horns are kings who will ultimately turn against the harlot and destroy her.
Key Themes
The Great Harlot — Babylon
Babylon represents the seductive power of worldly systems that promise pleasure and prosperity while leading people away from God and persecuting His faithful ones.
The Alliance of Beast and Babylon
The harlot rides the beast, symbolizing the unholy partnership between corrupt religious and political power, yet this alliance is inherently unstable and self-destructive.
God's Sovereign Control Over Evil
Even the beast's turning against the harlot fulfills God's purpose, demonstrating that evil ultimately destroys itself under the sovereign direction of God's plan.
Study Questions
What does the image of Babylon as a harlot riding a beast communicate about the relationship between cultural seduction and political power?
Why is Babylon described as being drunk with the blood of the saints, and what does this reveal about worldly systems' hostility toward faith?
How does the self-destructive nature of evil — the beast turning on the harlot — reflect a pattern we see throughout history?
What modern parallels might exist to the seductive allure of Babylon, and how should believers respond?
How does God placing His purposes in the hearts of the ten kings demonstrate that even evil actors serve His sovereign plan?
Connection to Christ
In contrast to Babylon's corrupt power, Christ is identified as 'Lord of lords, and King of kings,' and those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. The Lamb will overcome every earthly power that opposes Him. The fall of Babylon demonstrates that no system built on rebellion against God can endure — only Christ's kingdom is eternal.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Revelation 17. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?