17 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: 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
sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having
seven heads and ten horns. 4 And
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: 5 And
upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And
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. 7 And
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. 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 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.
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 is 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, and is of the seven,
and goeth into perdition. 12 And
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. 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 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. 18 And
the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the
kings of the earth.