John sees a woman seated on a scarlet beast, called Babylon the great, drunk with the blood of the saints. An angel explains the vision, and says the Lamb will overcome those who make war on him.
1 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 .