1Then there came one of the seven Angels, which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come: I will show thee the damnation of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters,
2With whom have committed fornication the kings of the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication.
3So he carried me away into the wilderness in the Spirit, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, which had seven heads, and ten horns.
4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, and had a cup of gold in her hand full of abomination, and filthiness of her fornication.
5And in her forehead was a name written, A mystery, that great Babylon that mother of whoredoms, and abominations of the earth.
6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of JESUS: and when I saw her, I wondered with great marvel.
7Then the Angel said unto me, Wherefore marvelest thou? I will show thee the mystery of that woman, and of that beast that beareth her, which hath seven heads and ten horns.
8The beast that thou hast seen, was and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition, and they that dwell on the earth, shall wonder (whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9Here is the mind that hath wisdom, The seven heads are seven mountains, whereon the woman sitteth: they are also seven Kings.
10Five are fallen, and one is, and another is not yet come: and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11And the beast that was, and is not, is even the eighth, and is one of the seven, and all go into destruction.
12And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, which yet have not received a kingdom, but shall receive power, as Kings at one hour with the beast.
13These have one mind, and shall give their power and authority unto the beast.
14These shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings: and they that are on his side, called, and chosen, and faithful.
15And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, are they that shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to do with one consent for to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled.
18And that woman which thou sawest, is that great city which reigned over the kings of the earth.