Revelation 17
The Great Prostitute and the Beast
1One 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 prostitute who sits on many waters,
2with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. Those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality.”
3He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth.
5And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
6I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
7The 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.
8The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present.
9Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
10They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must continue a little while.
11The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction.
12The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
13These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.
14These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
15He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
16The ten horns which you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute, will make her desolate, will strip her naked, will eat her flesh, and will burn her utterly with fire.
17For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.
18The woman whom you saw is the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
John receives a vision of the great prostitute 'Babylon the Great,' representing a corrupt world system that has seduced nations and persecuted God's people. An angel explains the symbolism of the woman and the seven-headed, ten-horned beast she rides, revealing a complex prophecy involving kings, kingdoms, and their ultimate destruction. The chapter culminates with the promise that these evil powers will war against the Lamb but be defeated, as God sovereignly orchestrates even their rebellion to accomplish His purposes.
Context
Following the bowl judgments of chapter 16, this chapter begins the detailed account of Babylon's fall that continues through chapter 18.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-6Vision of the Great ProstituteJohn sees a woman called 'Mystery, Babylon the Great' sitting on a scarlet beast, drunk with the blood of martyrs
- 7-11The Beast ExplainedThe angel interprets the seven-headed beast as representing seven mountains and kings, with the beast itself being an eighth king
- 12-14The Ten Horns and Final WarTen kings will give their authority to the beast and war against the Lamb, but Christ will overcome them
- 15-18The Prostitute's DestructionThe beast and ten kings will ultimately turn against and destroy the prostitute, fulfilling God's purpose
The Great Prostitute and the Beast
17:1–17:18An angel reveals to John the mystery of the great prostitute Babylon and the beast she rides, representing corrupt earthly powers. The vision includes symbolic interpretation of the beast's seven heads and ten horns as kings and kingdoms.
person_contrast
While Jesus appears in 98 biblical passages primarily exercising authority and judgment, Revelation 17 uniquely positions him as the conquering Lamb who defeats earthly powers through spiritual warfare rather than direct divine decree.
Revelation 17:1
Revelation 21:9lexicalOne of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me…
Revelation 16:1lexicalI heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God…
Revelation 15:7lexicalOne of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever…
Revelation 16:12lexicalThe sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared…
James 3:1lexicalLet not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
Revelation 17:2
Revelation 18:3lexicalFor all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexua…
Revelation 18:9lexicalThe kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when the…
Ephesians 5:18lexicalDon’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
1 Corinthians 6:18lexicalFlee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins again…
Revelation 17:3
Revelation 13:1lexicalThen I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his ho…
Revelation 12:3lexicalAnother sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven cr…
Revelation 5:6lexicalI saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as…
Revelation 13:11lexicalI saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
Revelation 19:19lexicalI saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the hors…
Revelation 17:4
Revelation 18:16lexicalsaying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and prec…
Revelation 15:7lexicalOne of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever…
Revelation 5:8lexicalNow when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one…
Matthew 23:25lexical“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they…
Luke 11:39lexicalThe Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full…
Revelation 17:5
Revelation 14:1lexicalI saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his n…
Revelation 19:2lexicalfor his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual…
Revelation 17:6
Revelation 6:10lexicalThey cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on thos…
Revelation 6:12lexicalI saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, a…
Revelation 17:7
Revelation 13:1lexicalThen I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his ho…
Revelation 12:3lexicalAnother sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven cr…
Revelation 1:20lexicalThe mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars…
Revelation 21:9lexicalOne of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me…
1 Corinthians 11:10lexicalFor this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
Revelation 17:8
Revelation 13:8lexicalAll who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world i…
Revelation 13:11lexicalI saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
Revelation 20:12lexicalI saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, whi…
Revelation 11:7lexicalWhen they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome…
Revelation 13:12lexicalHe exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worsh…
Revelation 17:10
Mark 13:7lexical“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.
John 10:16lexicalI have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one…
Revelation 17:12
Revelation 13:1lexicalThen I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his ho…
Matthew 25:1lexical“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Revelation 13:11lexicalI saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
Revelation 6:8lexicalAnd behold, a pale horse, and the name of he who sat on it was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth…
Revelation 13:2lexicalThe beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion…
Revelation 17:13
Revelation 13:2lexicalThe beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion…
Revelation 17:14
Matthew 22:14lexicalFor many are called, but few chosen.”
Revelation 17:15
Revelation 7:9lexicalAfter these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all trib…
Revelation 14:6lexicalI saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every na…
Revelation 10:11lexicalThey told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
Revelation 11:9lexicalFrom among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations, people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days,…
Revelation 5:9lexicalThey sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us…
Revelation 17:16
Revelation 13:1lexicalThen I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his ho…
Revelation 13:11lexicalI saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
Jude 1:23lexicaland some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
James 5:3lexicalYour gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you and will eat your flesh…
Revelation 15:2lexicalI saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his…
Revelation 17:18
Matthew 5:35lexicalnor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Luke 7:28lexical“For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer; yet he who is…
Matthew 11:11lexicalMost certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer;…
Revelation 19:19lexicalI saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the hors…
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