Revelation 17
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Revelation chapter 17 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
6 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Victorinus of Pettau.
Revelation 17
1Then one of the seven angels having the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,Καὶ ἦλθεν εἷς ἐκ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλων τῶν ἐχόντων τὰς ἑπτὰ φιάλας καὶ ἐλάλησε μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ λέγων, Δεῦρο, δείξω σοι τὸ κρίμα τῆς πόρνης τῆς μεγάλης τῆς καθημένης ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν πολλῶν,
2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and those dwelling on the earth became drunk from the wine of her fornication.”μεθ᾽ ἧς ἐπόρνευσαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν γῆν ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς.
3And he led me away in the Spirit, into a deserted place. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.καὶ ἀπήνεγκέ με εἰς ἔρημον ἐν Πνεύματι. καὶ εἶδον γυναῖκα καθημένην ἐπὶ θηρίον τὸ κόκκινον γέμον ὀνόματα βλασφημίας, ἔχον κεφαλὰς ἑπτὰ καὶ κέρατα δέκα.
4And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup being filled with abominations and the filthiness of the fornication of the earth.καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἦν περιβεβλημένη πορφυροῦν καὶ κόκκινον, κεχρυσωμένη χρυσίῳ καὶ λίθῳ τιμίῳ καὶ μαργαρίταις, ἔχουσα ποτήριον χρυσοῦν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτῆς, γέμον βδελυγμάτων καὶ τὰ ἀκάθαρτα τῆς πορνείας τῆς γῆς,
5And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον αὐτῆς ὄνομα γεγραμμένον· Μυστήριον, Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη, ἡ μήτηρ τῶν πορνῶν καὶ τῶν βδελυγμάτων τῆς γῆς.
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.καὶ εἶδον τὴν γυναῖκα μεθύουσαν τοῦ αἵματος τῶν ἁγίων, ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος τῶν μαρτύρων Ἰησοῦ. Καὶ ἐθαύμασα ἰδὼν αὐτὴν θαῦμα μέγα.
7But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast carrying her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.καὶ εἶπέ μοι ὁ ἄγγελος, Διὰ τί ἐθαύμασας; ἐγὼ ἐρῶ σοι τὸ μυστήριον τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τοῦ θηρίου τοῦ βαστάζοντος αὐτήν, τοῦ ἔχοντος τὰς ἑπτὰ κεφαλὰς καὶ τὰ δέκα κέρατα.
8The beast which you saw was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth shall marvel, whose name is not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and shall be present.τὸ θηρίον ὃ εἶδες ἦν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ μέλλει ἀναβαίνειν ἐκ τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ εἰς ἀπώλειαν ὑπάγειν. καὶ θαυμάσονται οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν γῆν, ὧν οὐ γέγραπται τὸ ὄνομα ἐπὶ τοῦ βιβλίου τῆς ζωῆς ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, βλεπόντων ὅτι ἦν τὸ θηρίον, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ παρέσται.
9“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.ὧδε ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἔχων σοφίαν· αἱ ἑπτὰ κεφαλαὶ ἑπτὰ ὄρη εἰσίν, ὅπου ἡ γυνὴ κάθηται ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν.
10And there are seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And whenever he comes, he must abide for a short time.καὶ βασιλεῖς εἰσιν ἑπτά· οἱ πέντε ἔπεσον, ὁ εἷς ἔστιν, ὁ ἄλλος οὔπω ἦλθε, καὶ ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὀλίγον δεῖ αὐτὸν μεῖναι.
11And the beast which was, and is not, is also an eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.καὶ τὸ θηρίον ὃ ἦν καὶ οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ οὗτος ὄγδοός ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἑπτά ἐστι, καὶ εἰς ἀπώλειαν ὑπάγει.
12“And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet have received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast.καὶ τὰ δέκα κέρατα ἃ εἶδες δέκα βασιλεῖς εἰσιν, οἵτινες βασιλείαν οὔπω ἔλαβον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξουσίαν ὡς βασιλεῖς μίαν ὥραν λαμβάνουσι μετὰ τοῦ θηρίου.
13These have one purpose, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.οὗτοι μίαν ἔχουσι γνώμην, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν καὶ ἐξουσίαν αὐτῶν τῷ θηρίῳ διδόασιν.
14These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, and elect, and faithful.”οὗτοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀρνίου πολεμήσουσι, καὶ τὸ ἀρνίον νικήσει αὐτούς, ὅτι Κύριος κυρίων ἐστὶ καὶ Βασιλεὺς βασιλέων, καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ κλητοὶ καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ καὶ πιστοί.
15Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.Καὶ λέγει μοι, Τὰ ὕδατα ἃ εἶδες, οὗ ἡ πόρνη κάθηται, λαοὶ καὶ ὄχλοι εἰσὶ καὶ ἔθνη καὶ γλῶσσαι.
16And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot, and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her up with fire.καὶ τὰ δέκα κέρατα ἃ εἶδες καὶ τὸ θηρίον, οὗτοι μισήσουσι τὴν πόρνην, καὶ ἠρημωμένην ποιήσουσιν αὐτὴν καὶ γυμνὴν ποιήσουσιν αὐτήν, καὶ τὰς σάρκας αὐτῆς φάγονται καὶ αὐτὴν κατακαύσουσιν ἐν πυρί.
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.ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς ἔδωκεν εἰς τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν ποιῆσαι τὴν γνώμην αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιῆσαι γνώμην μίαν καὶ δοῦναι τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῶν τῷ θηρίῳ, ἄχρι τελεσθῶσιν οἱ λόγοι τοῦ Θεοῦ.
18And the woman whom you saw is that great city which has royal rule over the kings of the earth.”καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἣν εἶδες ἔστιν ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη ἡ ἔχουσα βασιλείαν ἐπὶ τῶν βασιλέων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
The Fathers on Revelation 17
Victorinus of Pettau comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Revelation 17:1–6Victorinus of Pettau1–6. “There came one of the seven angels, which have the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come, I will show thee the judgment of that great whore who sitteth upon many waters. And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs.”] The decrees of that senate are always...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 17:3Victorinus of Pettau3. “And I saw the woman herself sitting upon the scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy.”] But to sit upon the scarlet beast, the author of murders, is the image of the devil. Where also is treated of his captivity, concerning which we have fully considered. I remember, indeed, that this is called Babylon...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 17:9Victorinus of Pettau9. “The seven heads are the seven hills, on which the woman sitteth.”] That is, the city of Rome.
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 17:10Victorinus of Pettau10. “And there are seven kings: five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come, he will be for a short time.”] The time must be understood in which the written Apocalypse was published, since then reigned Cæsar Domitian; but before him had been Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho,...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 17:11Victorinus of Pettau11. “And the beast which thou sawest is of the seven.”] Since before those kings Nero reigned. “And he is the eighth.”] He says only when this beast shall come, reckon it the eighth place, since in that is the completion. He added:— “And shall go into perdition.”] For that ten kings received royal power when he shall...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 17:16Open Revelation 17 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Victorinus of Pettau16. “These shall hate the whore, to wit, the city, and shall burn her flesh with fire.”] Now that one of the heads was, as it were, slain to death, and that the stroke of his death was directed, he speaks of Nero. For it is plain that when the cavalry sent by the senate was pursuing him, he himself cut his throat. Him...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →