The Woman on the Animal

17 ¹One of the seven angels came and spoke to me. This was one of the angels that had the seven bowls. The angel said, "Come, and I will show you the punishment that will be given to the famous prostitute.* She is the one sitting over many waters. ²The rulers of the earth sinned sexually with her. The people of the earth became drunk from the wine of her sexual sin." ³Then the angel carried me away by the Spirit* to the desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a red animal. The animal was covered with bad names written on him. The animal had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴The woman was dressed in purple and red. She was shining with the gold, jewels, and pearls she was wearing. She had a golden cup in her hand. This cup was filled with terrible (evil) things and the uncleanness of her sexual sin. ⁵She had a title written on her forehead. This title has a hidden meaning. This is what was written: THE GREAT BABYLON MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND THE EVIL THINGS OF THE EARTH ⁶I saw that the woman was drunk. She was drunk with the blood of God's holy people.* She was drunk with the blood of those people who told about [their faith in] Jesus. When I saw the woman, I was fully amazed. ⁷Then the angel said to me, "Why are you amazed? I will tell you the hidden meaning of this woman and the animal she rides--the animal with seven heads and ten horns. ⁸The animal that you saw was once [alive]. But that animal is not [alive] now. But that animal will [be alive and] come up out of the bottomless pit and go away to be destroyed. The people that live on the earth will be amazed when they see the animal. They will be amazed because he was once [alive], is not [alive] now, but will come again. These are the people whose names have never been written in the book of life since the beginning of the world. ⁹"You need a wise mind to understand this. The seven heads on the animal are the seven hills where the woman sits. They are also seven rulers. ¹⁰Five of the rulers have already died. One of the rulers lives now. And the last ruler is coming. When he comes, he will stay only a short time. ¹¹The animal that was once [alive] but is not [alive] now is an eighth ruler. This eighth ruler also belongs to the first seven rulers. And he will go away to be destroyed. ¹²"The ten horns you saw are ten rulers. These ten rulers have not yet received their kingdom. But they will receive power to rule with the animal for one hour. ¹³All ten of these rulers have the same purpose. And they will give their power and authority to the animal. ¹⁴They will make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. He will defeat them with his chosen and faithful followers--the people that he has called." ¹⁵Then the angel said to me, "You saw the water where the prostitute* sits. These waters are the many peoples, the different races, nations, and languages [in the world]. ¹⁶The animal and the ten horns (ten rulers) you saw will hate the prostitute. They will take everything she has and leave her naked. They will eat her body and burn her with fire. ¹⁷God made the ten horns want to do his purpose: They agreed to give the animal their power to rule. They will rule until the things God has said are completed. ¹⁸The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."

prostitute(s) Women paid by men for sexual sin. Spirit, Holy Spirit Also called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and the Comforter. Joined with God and Christ, he does God's work among people in the world. holy people God's people are called holy because they are made pure through Christ, and they belong only to God.