AND one of the seven angels who had the seven vases, came to me, and
talked with me, saying to me, Come hither, I will shew thee the
judgment of the great harlot, who sitteth upon many waters: (2)with
whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, and all the
inhabitants of the world have intoxicated themselves with the wine of
her whoredom. (3)And he bore me away in spirit into the wilderness: and
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy,
having seven heads, and ten horns. (4)And the woman was clothed in
purple and scarlet, and all over decked with gold, precious stones, and
pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and of
the impurity of her whoredom. (5)And upon her forehead was there a name
written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and of the
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 amazement. (7)And the angel said unto me,
Wherefore dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman,
and of the beast which carrieth her, which hath seven heads and ten
horns. (8)The beast which thou seest was, and is not; and shall come up
out of the abyss _of hell_, and shall go into perdition: and the
dwellers upon earth will wonder, (whose names are not written in the
book of life from the foundation of the world,) when they shall see the
beast which was, and is not, though he is. (9)Here is the mind that
hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman is
seated even upon them. (10)And these are seven kings: five have fallen,
and the one exists, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he
must abide but a little while. (11)And the beast which was, and is not,
though he is himself the eighth, yet is of the seven, and shall go away
into perdition. (12)And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings,
who have not yet received their kingdoms; but will receive authority as
kings for one hour with the beast. (13)They hold one sentiment, and
will give their own power and authority to the beast. (14)They shall
make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: because he
is Lord of lords, and King of kings and they that are with him, are
called, and elect, and faithful. (15)And he saith to me, The waters
which thou sawest, on which the whore sat, are people, and multitudes,
and nations, and tongues. (16)And the ten horns which thou sawest upon
the beast, they shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked,
and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her up with fire. (17)For God
hath put it into their hearts to do his will, to perform one purpose,
even to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are
fulfilled. (18)And the woman which thou sawest is the great city, which
holds dominion over the kings of the earth.