Revelation 17:5-18

17:5 On ¹  her forehead was written a name, a mystery: ²  “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.” 17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. ³  I ⁴  was greatly astounded ⁵  when I saw her. 17:7 But ⁶  the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret ⁷  for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 17:8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss ⁸  and then go to destruction. The ⁹  inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see that ¹⁰  the beast was, and is not, but is to come. 17:9 (This requires ¹¹  a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains ¹²  the woman sits on. They are also seven kings: 17:10 five have fallen; one is, ¹³  and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time. 17:11 The ¹⁴  beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction. 17:12 The ¹⁵  ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority ¹⁶  as kings with the beast for one hour. 17:13 These kings ¹⁷  have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 17:14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying ¹⁸  the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”

17:15 Then ¹⁹  the angel ²⁰  said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, ²¹  nations, and languages. 17:16 The ²²  ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They ²³  will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. ²⁴  17:17 For God has put into their minds ²⁵  to carry out his purpose ²⁶  by making ²⁷  a decision ²⁸  to give their royal power ²⁹  to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. ³⁰  17:18 As for ³¹  the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

² tn Some translations consider the word μυστήριον (musthrion, “mystery”) a part of the name written (“Mystery Babylon the Great,” so KJV, NIV), but the gender of both ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) and μυστήριον are neuter, while the gender of “Babylon” is feminine. This strongly suggests that μυστήριον should be understood as an appositive to ὄνομα (“a name, i.e., a mystery”).

³ tn Or “of the witnesses to Jesus.” Here the genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) is taken as an objective genitive; Jesus is the object of their testimony.

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁵ tn Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁷ tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.

⁸ tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁰ tn Some translations take the ὅτι (Joti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so NIV, NRSV), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was…” = “when they see that the beast was” (so BDAG 732 s.v. ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).

¹¹ tn Grk “Here is the mind that has wisdom.”

¹² tn It is important to note that the height of “mountains” versus “hills” or other topographical terms is somewhat relative. In terms of Palestinian topography, Mount Tabor (traditionally regarded as the mount of transfiguration) is some 1,800 ft (550 m) above sea level, while the Mount of Olives is only some 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem.

¹³ tn That is, one currently reigns.

¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁶ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

¹⁷ tn The word “kings” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the referent.

¹⁸ tn See BDAG 636 s.v. μετά A.2.a.α.

¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

²⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²¹ tn Grk “and multitudes,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

²² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²³ tn A new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²⁴ tn The final clause could also be turned into an adverbial clause of means: “They will consume her flesh by burning her with fire.”

²⁵ tn Grk “hearts.”

²⁶ tn Or “his intent.”

²⁷ tn The infinitive ποιῆσαι (poihsai) was translated here as giving the logical means by which God’s purpose was carried out.

²⁸ tn On this term BDAG 203 s.v. γνώμη 4 states, “declaration, decision, resolution…of God Rv 17:17.”

²⁹ tn For this translation see BDAG 168 s.v. βασιλεία 1.a, “kingship, royal power, royal rule.”

³⁰ tn Or “completed.”

³¹ tn Grk “And.” Because this remark is somewhat resumptive in nature, “as for” is used in the translation.