17Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me and said, "Come, and I will show you how the famous prostitute is to be punished, that great city that is built near many rivers.G2532G2064G1520G1537G2033G32G3588G2192G2033G5357G2532G2980G3326G1700G3004G3427G1204G1166G4671G2917G3173G4204G2521G1909G4183G52042The kings of the earth practiced sexual immorality with her, and the people of the world became drunk from drinking the wine of her immorality."G3326G3739G935G1093G4203G2532G2730G1093G3184G1537G3631G846G42023The Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a red beast that had names insulting to God written all over it; the beast had seven heads and ten horns.G2532G667G3165G667G1722G4151G1519G2048G2532G1492G1135G2521G1909G2847G2342G1073G3686G988G2192G2033G2776G2532G1176G27684The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and covered with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup full of obscene and filthy things, the result of her immorality.G2532G1135G2258G4016G4209G2532G2847G2532G5558G5557G2532G5093G3037G2532G3135G2192G5552G4221G1722G846G5495G1073G946G2532G168G846G42025On her forehead was written a name that has a secret meaning: "Great Babylon, the mother of all prostitutes and perverts in the world."G2532G1909G846G3359G3686G1125G3466G897G3173G3384G4204G2532G946G10936And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's people and the blood of those who were killed because they had been loyal to Jesus. When I saw her, I was completely amazed.G2532G1492G1135G3184G1537G129G40G2532G1537G129G3144G2424G2532G1492G846G2296G3173G22957"Why are you amazed?" the angel asked me. "I will tell you the secret meaning of the woman and of the beast that carries her, the beast with seven heads and ten horns.G2532G32G2036G3427G1302G2296G1473G2046G4671G3466G1135G2532G2342G941G846G3588G2192G2033G2776G2532G1176G27688That beast was once alive, but lives no longer; it is about to come up from the abyss and will go off to be destroyed. The people living on earth whose names have not been written before the creation of the world in the book of the living, will all be amazed as they look at the beast. It was once alive; now it no longer lives, but it will reappear.G2342G3739G1492G2258G2532G2076G3756G2532G3195G305G1537G12G2532G5217G1519G684G2532G2730G1909G1093G2296G3739G3686G1125G3756G1125G1909G975G2222G575G2602G2889G991G2342G3748G2258G2532G2076G3756G2539G20769"This calls for wisdom and understanding. The seven heads are seven hills, on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings:G5602G3563G3588G2192G4678G2033G2776G1526G2033G3735G1909G846G1135G2521G369910five of them have fallen, one still rules, and the other one has not yet come; when he comes, he must rule only a little while.G2532G1526G2033G935G4002G4098G2532G1520G2076G243G2064G3768G2064G2532G3752G2064G846G1163G3306G364111And the beast that was once alive, but lives no longer, is itself an eighth king who is one of the seven and is going off to be destroyed.G2532G2342G3739G2258G2532G2076G3756G2532G846G2076G3590G2532G2076G1537G2033G2532G5217G1519G68412"The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but who will be given authority to rule as kings for one hour with the beast.G2532G1176G2768G3739G1492G1526G1176G935G3748G2983G3768G932G3768G235G2983G1849G5613G935G3391G5610G3326G234213These ten all have the same purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.G3778G2192G3391G1106G2532G1239G1438G1411G2532G1849G234214They will fight against the Lamb; but the Lamb, together with his called, chosen, and faithful followers, will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings."G3778G4170G3326G721G2532G721G3528G846G3754G2076G2962G2962G2532G935G935G2532G3326G846G2822G2532G1588G2532G410315The angel also said to me, "The waters you saw, on which the prostitute sits, are nations, peoples, races, and languages.G2532G3004G3427G5204G3739G1492G3757G4204G2521G1526G2992G2532G3793G2532G1484G2532G110016The ten horns you saw and the beast will hate the prostitute; they will take away everything she has and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and destroy her with fire.G2532G1176G2768G3739G1492G1909G2342G3778G3404G4204G2532G4160G846G2049G2532G1131G2532G5315G846G4561G2532G2618G846G1722G444217For God has placed in their hearts the will to carry out his purpose by acting together and giving to the beast their power to rule until God's words come true.G1063G2316G1325G1519G846G2588G4160G846G1106G2532G4160G3391G1106G2532G1325G846G932G2342G891G4487G2316G505518"The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."G2532G1135G3739G1492G2076G3173G4172G3588G2192G932G1909G935G1093