Revelation 17:3

17:3 So¹ he carried me away in the Spirit² to a wilderness,³ and there⁴ I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

Revelation 17:7-12

17:7 But⁵ the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret⁶ for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 17:8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss⁷ and then go to destruction. The⁸ inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see that⁹ the beast was, and is not, but is to come. 17:9 (This requires¹⁰ a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains¹¹ the woman sits on. They are also seven kings: 17:10 five have fallen; one is,¹² and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time. 17:11 The¹³ beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction. 17:12 The¹⁴ ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority¹⁵ as kings with the beast for one hour.

Revelation 17:16

17:16 The¹⁶ ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They¹⁷ will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.¹⁸

¹tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation to witness the fate of the prostitute.

²tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).

³tn Or “desert.”

⁴tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

⁵tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁶tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.

⁷tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”

⁸tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁹tn Some translations take the ὅτι (Joti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so NIV, NRSV), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was…” = “when they see that the beast was” (so BDAG 732 s.v. ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).

¹⁰tn Grk “Here is the mind that has wisdom.”

¹¹tn It is important to note that the height of “mountains” versus “hills” or other topographical terms is somewhat relative. In terms of Palestinian topography, Mount Tabor (traditionally regarded as the mount of transfiguration) is some 1,800 ft (550 m) above sea level, while the Mount of Olives is only some 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem.

¹²tn That is, one currently reigns.

¹³tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁴tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁵tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

¹⁶tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁷tn A new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁸tn The final clause could also be turned into an adverbial clause of means: “They will consume her flesh by burning her with fire.”