Revelation 17

1 And there came one of the seven angels, who had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, "Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment upon the great whore who sitteth upon many waters,

2 with 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."

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, and having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and bedecked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication;

5 and upon her forehead was a name written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.

6 And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.

7 And the angel said unto me, "Why dost 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.

8 The 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, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, shall wonder when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

9 "And here is the mind which hath wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other has not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, yet is one of the seven and goeth into perdition.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but will receive power as kings for one hour with the beast.

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

14 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."

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

16 And 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.

17 For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill His will and to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

18 And the woman whom thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth."