1 A nd 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:

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls then came and spoke to me, saying, Come with me! I will show you the doom (sentence, judgment) of the great harlot (idolatress) who is seated on many waters,

2 w ith 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.

with whom the rulers of the earth have joined in prostitution (idolatry) and with the wine of whose immorality (idolatry) the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated.

3 S o 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.

And bore me away in the Spirit into a desert (wilderness), and I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was all covered with blasphemous titles (names), and he had seven heads and ten horns.

4 A nd 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:

The woman was robed in purple and scarlet and bedecked with gold, precious stones, and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of the accursed offenses and the filth of her lewdness and vice.

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

And on her forehead there was inscribed a name of mystery: Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes (idolatresses) and of the filth and atrocities and abominations of the earth.

6 A nd 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.

I also saw that the woman was drunk, with the blood of the saints (God’s people) and the blood of the martyrs for Jesus. And when I saw her, I was utterly amazed and wondered greatly.

7 A nd 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.

But the angel said to me, Why do you wonder? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman, as well as of the beast having the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

8 T he 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.

The beast that you saw was, but is no more, and he is going to come up out of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and proceed to go to perdition. And the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been recorded in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they look at the beast, because he was, but is no more, and he is to come.

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

This calls for a mind with wisdom and intelligence. The seven heads are seven hills upon which the woman is sitting;

10 A nd 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.

And they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one still exists; the other has not yet appeared, and when he does arrive, he must stay a brief time.

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

And as for the beast that was, but now is no more, he is an eighth ruler (king, head), but he is of the seven and belongs to them, and he goes to perdition.

12 A nd 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.

Also the ten horns that you observed are ten rulers (kings) who have as yet received no royal dominion, but together they are to receive power and authority as rulers for a single hour, along with the beast.

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

These have one common policy (opinion, purpose), and they deliver their power and authority to the beast.

14 T hese 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.

They will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and those with Him and on His side are chosen and called and loyal and faithful followers.

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

And said to me, The waters that you observed, where the harlot is seated, are races and multitudes and nations and dialects (languages).

16 A nd 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.

And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the harlot (the idolatrous woman); they will make her cheerless (bereaved, desolate), and they will strip her and eat up her flesh and utterly consume her with fire.

17 F or 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.

For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His own purpose by acting in harmony in surrendering their royal power and authority to the beast, until the prophetic words (intentions and promises) of God shall be fulfilled.

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

And the woman that you saw is herself the great city which dominates and controls the rulers and the leaders of the earth.