Revelation 17:1 Meaning and Explanation
“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:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →One of the seven angels of judgment invites John to behold the sentence falling on a great harlot enthroned upon many waters.
What Does Revelation 17:1 Mean?
The vision opens as one of the seven angels who poured out the bowls of wrath steps forward to guide John. He summons the seer to witness the verdict already settled against a figure called the great whore, seated above many waters. The image draws on the prophets, who pictured faithless cities as women who had sold themselves and rivers of nations as the seas a power rides upon.
What looks at first like seductive splendor is named at once for what it is: a coming judgment. The reader is steadied before the spectacle begins. However wide a corrupt power may spread its influence over the peoples, its end is fixed, and the One on the throne has already pronounced it. Beauty that is built on unfaithfulness does not have the last word.
Revelation 17:1 in the Original Language
porne (πόρνη), 'whore' -- a woman who sells herself, used by the prophets for a community unfaithful to God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 17:1
What does Revelation 17:1 mean?
One of the seven angels of judgment invites John to behold the sentence falling on a great harlot enthroned upon many waters.