17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. “Come,” he said. “I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who live on earth got drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.” 3 So he carried me away in the spirit to a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast[1641] which was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.  4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls. She had in her hand a golden cup full of abominable things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality.  5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes[1642] and of the abominations of the earth.”  6 I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints, and on the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.[1643] When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 The angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
    8 “The beast you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see that the beast was, and is not, and will come. [1644]  9 This requires a mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,  10 and they are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for a short time.  11 The beast who was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and he is going to destruction.  12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings[1645] who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority to reign as kings with the beast for one hour.  13 These kings are of one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast.  14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them, because he is lord of lords and king of kings, and those who are with him are the called, chosen, and faithful.”
    15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.  16 The ten horns which you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.  17 For God has put in their minds to do what He has in mind, to be of one mind,[1646] and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.  18 And the woman you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”