** The Woman on the Beast **

One of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls came and said to me,
"Come, I will show you
the punishment of the great prostitute,
who sits on many waters.
With her
the kings of the earth committed adultery
and the inhabitants of the earth
were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert.
There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast
that was covered with blasphemous names
and had seven heads and ten horns.
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet,
and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.
She held a golden cup in her hand,
filled with abominable things
and the filth of her adulteries.
This title was written on her forehead:

MYSTERY
BABYLON THE GREAT
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH.

I saw that the woman was drunk
with the blood of the saints,
the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
Then the angel said to me:
"Why are you astonished?
I will explain to you
the mystery of the woman of the the beast she rides,
which has the seven heads and ten horns.
The beast, which you saw,
once was,
now is not,
and will come up out of the Abyss
and got to his destruction.
The inhabitants of the earth
whose names have not been written in the book of life
from the creation of the world
will be astonished when they see the beast,
because he once was,
now is not,
and yet will come.

"This calls for a mind with wisdom.
The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.
They are also seven kings.
Five have fallen,
one is,
the other has not yet come;
but when he does come,
he must remain for a little while.
the beast who once was, 
and now is not,
is an eighth king.
He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

"The ten horns you saw are ten kings
who have not yet received a kingdom,
but who for one hour
will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
They have one purpose
and will give their power and authority to the beast.
they will make war against the Lamb,
but the Lamb will overcome them
because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings --
and with Him will be
His called, chosen and faithful followers."

Then the angel said to me,
"The waters you saw, where the prostitutes sits,
are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
The beast and the ten horns you saw
will hate the prostitute.
They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked;
they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
For God has put it into their hearts
to accomplish His purpose
by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule,
until God's words are fulfilled.
The woman you saw is the great city
that rules over the kings of the earth."

(Revelation 17)