Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. New Living Translation A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.” English Standard Version And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” Berean Standard Bible And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Berean Literal Bible And upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery: Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes, and of the abominations of the earth. King James Bible And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. New King James Version And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. New American Standard Bible and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” NASB 1995 and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” NASB 1977 and upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Legacy Standard Bible and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Amplified Bible And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES (false religions, heresies) AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Christian Standard Bible On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE DETESTABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH. Holman Christian Standard Bible On her forehead a cryptic name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE VILE THINGS OF THE EARTH. American Standard Version and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Contemporary English Version On her forehead a mysterious name was written: I AM THE GREAT CITY OF BABYLON, THE MOTHER OF EVERY IMMORAL AND FILTHY THING ON EARTH. English Revised Version and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. GOD'S WORD® Translation A name was written on her forehead. The name was Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things of the Earth. Good News Translation On her forehead was written a name that has a secret meaning: "Great Babylon, the mother of all prostitutes and perverts in the world." International Standard Version On her forehead was written a secret name: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND DETESTABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH Majority Standard Bible And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. NET Bible On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: "Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth." New Heart English Bible And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Webster's Bible Translation And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Weymouth New Testament And on her forehead was a name written: "I am a symbol of great Babylon, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth." World English Bible And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand on her forehead was a name written: “SECRET, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE WHORES, AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Berean Literal Bible And upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery: Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes, and of the abominations of the earth. Young's Literal Translation and upon her forehead was a name written: 'Secret, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Whores, and the Abominations of the earth.' Smith's Literal Translation And upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd on her forehead a name was written: A mystery; Babylon the great, the mother of the fornications, and the abominations of the earth. Catholic Public Domain Version And a name was written upon her forehead: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth. New American Bible On her forehead was written a name, which is a mystery, “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” New Revised Standard Version and on her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of whores and of earth’s abominations.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd upon her forehead was a name written, that not all could understand, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And upon her forehead was written: “Mystery Babylon The Great, The Mother of Harlots and of the Filth of The Earth.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentAnd on her forehead was a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND OF THE IDOLATROUS POLLUTIONS OF THE EARTH. Godbey New Testament and upon her forehead her name was written; Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother of Harlots And The Abominations of The Earth. Haweis New Testament And upon her forehead was there a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother or harlots, and of the abominations of the earth. Mace New Testament Upon her forehead this mystical title was written, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth. Weymouth New Testament And on her forehead was a name written: "I am a symbol of great Babylon, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth." Worrell New Testament and upon her forehead a name written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Worsley New Testament And upon her forehead was a name written, "Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and of the abominations of the earth." Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Woman on the Beast…4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.… Cross References Revelation 14:8 Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.” Revelation 18:2-3 And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. / All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.” Revelation 18:10 In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” Revelation 18:16 saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! Revelation 18:18 and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. Revelation 18:21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. Revelation 19:2 For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.” Jeremiah 51:7 Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad. Isaiah 47:7-9 You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome. / So now hear this, O lover of luxury who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’ / These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells. Jeremiah 50:38 A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols. Jeremiah 51:13 You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut. Nahum 3:4 because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft. Isaiah 23:17 And at the end of seventy years, the LORD will restore Tyre. Then she will return to hire as a prostitute and sell herself to all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Ezekiel 16:15-17 But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking. / You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred! / You also took the fine jewelry of gold and silver I had given you, and you made male idols with which to prostitute yourself. Ezekiel 23:2-4 “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother, / and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. / The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. Treasury of Scripture And on her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. upon. Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Isaiah 3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Philippians 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) MYSTERY. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come… BABYLON. Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. THE MOTHER. Revelation 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. HARLOTS. Jump to Previous ABOMINATIONS BABYLON Brow EARTH Earth's EVIL Forehead GREAT HARLOTS MOTHER MYSTERY PROSTITUTES SECRET Symbol Title UNCLEAN Whores WOMEN WrittenJump to Next ABOMINATIONS BABYLON Brow EARTH Earth's EVIL Forehead GREAT HARLOTS MOTHER MYSTERY PROSTITUTES SECRET Symbol Title UNCLEAN Whores WOMEN WrittenRevelation 17 1. A woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand sits upon the beast;5. which is great Babylon, the mother of all abominations. 9. The interpretation of the seven heads; 12. and the ten horns. 14. The victory of the Lamb. 16. The punishment of the harlot. On her forehead In ancient times, inscriptions on the forehead were a mark of identity or ownership. This imagery is reminiscent of the high priest in Israel who wore a plate on his forehead inscribed with "Holy to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36). Here, the inscription signifies the woman's allegiance and character, contrasting the holiness of the priest with the depravity of the harlot. a mysterious name was written Babylon the Great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." The word "mystery" is, perhaps, part of the name; it is, at any rate, a prefix which tells us that the name is not literal, but symbolical. Something lies behind, which will be made manifest in due time. (Comp. 2Thessalonians 2:7.) She is mother of harlots. Others, in smaller spheres, will follow her example; but she is the origin and type of all. (6) And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints.--It is said later (Revelation 18:24) that in her was found the blood of prophets, and saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth. The cruel spirit of persecution marked old Pagan Rome. She was drunk with their blood. It is not literally true that "all the blood shed on the earth" would be found in Rome, either Pagan or Papal; but it is spiritually true. Just as all the blood from righteous Abel to Zacharias was required of Jerusalem, so also of Babylon; for the spirit is the same spirit of hatred of holiness and love of worldliness. To slay one is to slay all, as to be guilty in one point of the Law is to be guilty of all; for it is not to mere acts, but also to the spirit and drift of men's conduct, that the Scriptures look. It is the Babylon spirit, whether dominant in Rome or in London, that kills the good. Wherever the spirit of worldliness (in its widest sense) is to be found, there is the spirit at enmity with God and good, and there is the Babylon which has slain the saints. And when I saw her, I wondered . . .--Rather, And I wondered when I saw her with great wonder (not "admiration" in our modern sense). Why did St. John wonder? Was it at the splendour or the blasphemous names? Hardly these; for he was familiar with the former in descriptions of Babylon given by the prophets, and with the latter from his own vision in Revelation 13. The wonder probably rose from the strange alliance of the woman with the wild beast. It was not wonderful to see the vision of a wild beast or monster dealing out death and slaughter, but to see a woman allied with the monster and drunken with the blood of the holy provoked astonishment. The woman, too, was a harlot. The prophets had spoken of Israel and Judah as harlots, where they had allied themselves with the world and its dark idolatries (comp. Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Ezekiel 16:15; Hosea 2:5). Did he read in the form of the vision the hint that in the lapse of years the Church of Christ, like Israel of old, might fall from her high calling and become the ally of the world-power? The hint of it slumbered in the vision. . . . Verse 5. - And upon her forehead was a name written. Omit "was." Ὄνομα, "name," is dependent upon ἔχουσα, "having," in ver. 4. This practice was customary with harlots (Juv., 'Sat.,' 6:123; Seneca, 'Controv.,' 1:2). In Revelation 14:1 and Revelation 7:3 the faithful members of God's Church have his Name in their foreheads; here the faithless ones, represented by the harlot, exhibit a spurious imitation. As God's Name marked the former as his, so the name Babylon, etc., marks the latter as belonging to the world (see on Revelation 16:19; 17:5; 18:2). The name consists of the words following, to the end of the verse. MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. The word "MYSTERY" may be(1) part of the name, standing coordinately with "BABYLON" (Alford, Bleek, Hengstenberg, Vitringa, Wordsworth); (2) a description of the following title, being thus in apposition with ὅνομα, "name" (Auberlin, De Wette, Dusterdieck, Ebrard); (3) an adverb used in the same sense as in the last case (Stuart). Whichever view be taken, there can be no doubt that the purpose is to draw attention to the fact which is contained in the following words - a fact which might otherwise be exceedingly difficult to receive. For the rest of the verso asserts that the harlot is Babylon; that is, that the worldly portion of the Church, though nominally Christian, is in reality identical with the world, which is openly antagonistic to God. Indeed, the latter portion of the verse goes even further than this. This faithless (though outwardly Christian) portion of Christ's Church is the mother, that is, the cause of the existence of unfaithfulness to God. So true is it that the professing Christian who is worldly minded does more to cause in others disobedience and unfaithfulness to God, than he who openly declares himself in opposition to God, and even persecutes the faithful; cf. the words to the Church in Laodicea, "I would thou went cold or hot" (Revelation 3:15). (On "ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH," see on ver. 4.) Greek Onἐπὶ (epi) Preposition Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at. her αὐτῆς (autēs) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. forehead μέτωπον (metōpon) Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3359: The forehead, front. From meta and ops; the forehead. a mysterious μυστήριον (mystērion) Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 3466: From a derivative of muo; a secret or 'mystery'. name ὄνομα (onoma) Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'. was written: γεγραμμένον (gegrammenon) Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe. Babylon ΒΑΒΥΛΩΝ (BABYLŌN) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 897: Of Hebrew origin; Babylon, the capitol of Chaldaea (as a type of tyranny). the Ο (HĒ) Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Great, ΜΕΓΑΛΗ (MEGALĒ) Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense. the Ο (HĒ) Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. mother ΜΗΤΗΡ (MĒTĒR) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 3384: A mother. Apparently a primary word; a 'mother'. of prostitutes ΠΟΡΝΩΝ (PORNŌN) Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural Strong's 4204: A prostitute; met: an idolatrous community. Feminine of pornos; a strumpet; figuratively, an idolater. and ΚΑΙ (KAI) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. of the ΤΩΝ (TŌN) Article - Genitive Neuter Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. abominations ΒΔΕΛΥΓΜΑΤΩΝ (BDELYGMATŌN) Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural Strong's 946: An abominable thing, an accursed thing. From bdelusso; a detestation, i.e. idolatry. of the ΤΗΣ (TĒS) Article - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. earth. ΓΗΣ (GĒS) Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe. Links Revelation 17:5 NIVRevelation 17:5 NLT Revelation 17:5 ESV Revelation 17:5 NASB Revelation 17:5 KJV Revelation 17:5 BibleApps.com Revelation 17:5 Biblia Paralela Revelation 17:5 Chinese Bible Revelation 17:5 French Bible Revelation 17:5 Catholic Bible NT Prophecy: Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name was (Rev. Re Apocalypse) |
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