17 Then there came one of the seven angels who had the seven vials and talked with me, saying to me, “Come. I will show you the damnation of the great whore who sits upon many waters;
2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. And the inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away into the wilderness, in the Spirit. And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast - full of names of blasphemy - which had seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls; and had a cup of gold in her hand, full of the abomination and filthiness of her fornication.
5 And on her forehead was a name written: “A Mystery. The great Babylon. The mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth.”
6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great marvel.
7 Then the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will show you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that bears her which has seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that you have seen was and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit; and shall go into perdition. And those who dwell on the earth - whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world - shall wonder when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 Here is the mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains whereon the woman sits. They are also seven kings.
10 Five are fallen, and one is. And another is not yet come. And when he comes, he must remain.
11 And the beast that was and is not, is also an eighth, as well as one of the seven. And all go into destruction.
12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but shall receive power as kings for one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind and shall give their power and authority to the beast.
14 These shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. For He is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; and those who are on His side, called and chosen and faithful.”
15 And he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are people and multitudes and nations and tongues.
16 “And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast are those who shall hate the whore; and shall make her desolate and naked; and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17 “For God has put in their hearts to fulfill His will, and to give their kingdom to the beast with one consent, until the words of God are fulfilled.
18 And that woman, which you saw, is that great city which reigned over the kings of the earth.”