Revelation 17:3

Translations

Modern

And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

Traditional

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Literal

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast being full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Latin

Et abstulit me in spiritu in desertum. Et vidi mulierem sedentem super bestiam coccineam, plenam nominibus blasphemiæ, habentem capita septem, et cornua decem.

Original

Greek

English

And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

Notes

Revelation 17:3–4

John is taken in the spirit into the wilderness, which he uses to describe a visionary experience (see Revelation 1:10; 4:2). He sees a representation of Rome's moral decay and extreme luxury (see Revelation 18:12–13, 16). This shows how such wealth can be offensive to God.
The beast here resembles the second figure in the evil trinity (see Revelation 13:1–4).
blasphemous names: See Revelation 13:5–6.
purple and scarlet: Clothing in these colors signified royalty and immorality, respectively.
a golden cup: See Jeremiah 51:7.

Revelation 17:1–19:10

The main drama in this section shows the powers that stand against God and cause the persecution and suffering of God’s people. Rome’s power attracted and impressed many people (Revelation 17:6). John clearly describes Rome's sins and shares God's judgment (Revelation 17:3–18) before he describes Rome’s fall (18:1–24) and heaven’s response to that fall (19:1–10).

Theme notes and profiles

Symbolic Numbers Visions

Related verses

Revelation 12:3
Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.
Revelation 13:1–6
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Revelation 17:9–12
This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
Revelation 17:6–7
I 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.
Revelation 17:18
And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 17:4
The 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.
Daniel 7:20
I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
Revelation 12:14
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
Revelation 21:10
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
Daniel 7:8
While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.

Glossary

Antichrist Babylon as a Symbol Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book of Revelation Horn Lucifer Place of the Dead Prostitute, Prostitution Scarlet Sexual Immorality Spirit of God

Topics

Blasphemy: General Scriptures Concerning Blasphemy: Prophecy of Colors: Crimson, Red, Purple, and Scarlet, Symbols of Various Ideas of Iniquity Horn: Symbolical Horns of Antichristian Powers Idolatry: Wicked Practices of Licentiousness of Seven: Miscellany of Sevens: The Scarlet-Colored Beast Having Seven Heads

Revelation 17:3

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