| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, | 1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me: "Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute who sits on many waters. |
| 2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” | 2The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality." |
| 3So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. | 3So he carried me away in the Spirit to a desert. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and 10 horns. |
| 4The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. | 4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She had a gold cup in her hand filled with everything vile and with the impurities of her prostitution. |
| 5And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. | 5On her forehead a cryptic name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE VILE THINGS OF THE EARTH. |
| 6I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. | 6Then I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. |
| 7But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. | 7Then the angel said to me, "Why are you astonished? I will tell you the secret meaning of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the 10 horns, that carries her. |
| 8The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. | 8The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present again." |
| 9“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. | 9Here is the mind with wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. |
| 10There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. | 10They are also seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for a little while. |
| 11The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. | 11The beast that was and is not, is himself an eighth king, yet he belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. |
| 12“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. | 12The 10 horns you saw are 10 kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. |
| 13These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. | 13These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. |
| 14These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” | 14These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." |
| 15Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. | 15He also said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. |
| 16And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. | 16The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. |
| 17For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. | 17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose and to give their kingdom to the beast until God's words are accomplished. |
| 18And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” | 18And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth." |
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