1 T hen 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 harlot who sits on 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 committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

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 A nd 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.

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 T he woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,

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 on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “ BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE 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 drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.

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 to me, “Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the 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 “ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.

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 H ere is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,

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

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

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 T he beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

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 T he ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.

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 purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. Victory for the Lamb

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

14 T hese will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the 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 said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, 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 you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up 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 has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will 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 T he woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns 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.