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Posted on CCPC's website 2025
Again. This study is verse by verse, IMAGE by Image, IDEA by Idea, and concept by concept. Which means it is a Marathon.
We are using sources that John the Apostle and those mentioned as the recipients of the letter, the Seven Churches and other First Century Christians, the majority of which were Jews, would / should / could have been familiar with. We will also reference newer translations and versions of the book, beginning with the 1560 Geneva Bible (the bulk source for the 1611 KJV, which we also use) all the way up to much more current publications, and examinations of the text from various scholars, as well as beginning the analysis of the text from the Greek.
It should be said here, as we are beginning with the Greek, we are going in remembering that John was writing in an 'apocalyptic' style. It seems many translations have forgotten that and 'moderated' the language.
Before we start the last quarter of the book: This section has been the most difficult one yet to get the full flavor of from the original language. Going through it, you get the impression that the translators took the easy way out in several places. Moderating the images, 'turning down the heat', not wanting to make those that read, or listened, too uncomfortable, or to grievously offend anybody.1
For what it's worth, we shall not do that. (as you'll see in verse 1)
Time Out for something of a failure of translation and an historical note:
And here we run into one of those terms that has layers of meaning in the Greek that doesn't translate well into English.
To explain it, we're going to drop back into history into something called the "pornocracy" also called the "Saeculum obscurum" in Latin, historically the Latin phrase for 'dark age' refers to the century or so in Rome, from around 850 to as late as 1050 AD, and especially the period of 900 or so (perhaps hitting the absolute bottom with the "Cadaver Synod" where the exhumed body of a dead Pope Formosus (reigned 891 - 896) was put on trial in 897) on to about 960, where everybody who was anybody was so corrupt the operation of the Vatican, the civil government of Rome, as well as Italy itself, that they all essentially ceased to function in any meaningful way and was only saved after foreign intervention cleaned house, including running one of the worst Popes in history, Benedict IX (he had been installed three times!), out of the country. In the 897 trial Formosus was found guilty (of course) of various crimes and his papacy was vacated in the official record. Other church officials were caught with women who were supposed to be married to somebody else, sent certain enemies to 'meet Jesus' before they naturally would have, and in the case of Benedict the Ninth, sold the office for cash. No, we're not kidding.
The English word "pornocracy" is from the Greek term for "harlots rule", or something of that nature, based on the same "pornes" root. In our current case, it is a fair description of the majority of career politicians in the US Government where those in office, as well as those seeking said offices sell their influence, vote, morals, and everything else to get where they want to be. What it boils down to is that not only are they Whores in the physical sense, they are idolizing, even worshiping money and power, meanwhile they, and everything else, is for sale.
(did somebody just say "bingo"?)
There is the other implication of the root word "porne" (defilement), there is more than a pinch of greed in the recipe. This is greed to the point of idolatry of worldly goods (not just money). Where the service of self destroys everything it touches, and we come to the line from Mark 8 that also introduced another player in the history of corruption in Rome, Gaius Julius Caesar 'Augustus' Germanicus (more on him in a minute), and introduced a movie made with his birth name as the title (and fits right in with the opening quote for this study):
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gaine the whole world, and lose his owne soule?" (1611)
So the term here is not simply a 'sex worker' from old Babylon, it could mean... well, to us, a Washington Politician. And when you read the rest of the section with that in mind, and then later on to 'her reward' that makes more sense.
The earlier translators probably knew this... so why did they put it the way they did? We'll answer that later, hang on.
End time out
.... "pornes" (idolater / prostitute) "tes megales" (the great) the one that "kathemai" (sits prominently ('so as to be noticed')) on "hudor polus" (waters many),
2
with whom "eporneusan" (have practiced - idolatry / unlawful lust (for 'stuff' and also includes fornication)) "basileis" (rulers / sovereigns) of the earth, "emethysthesan" (have become intoxicated) with those inhabiting the earth with the wine of the "pornes" (defilement) of her.
Another time out, this time with an explanation.
Right about now you may be asking "so, exactly WHAT is going on?" And rightly so.
The "City of Babylon", or its modern stand in, is being cast as an attractive idol, made of an intoxicating mix of power, sex, fame, and money, all of which is fueling a rather loose legal system, where those who rule have sold their, take you pick, soul/own mother/firstborn child/ all of the above, to have a self-serving relationship with the 'seat of power'.
Which, when you remember that John was writing in the climate in the Empire under Emperor Domitian, ruled from 81 to 96 (he grew up under Nero, his family came to power in 69 "the year of four emperors", and he was later assassinated by his own court officials), John's imagery works.
Keep that in mind.
End time out
3
Clarification: at this point John appears to have still been 'in' heaven, or at least some part of heaven that wasn't on Patmos Island. And then that changes:
The angel carries John away in "pneumati" (spirit or The Spirit) into the "eremon" (wilderness / desolated place)...
the 1611 KJV: "and I saw a woman sit vpo a scarlet coloured beast"
Another wrong word in the 1611 is the use of 'scarlet'
The Greek word "kokkinon" becomes "coccum" in the world of cloth dying, and was originally a purplish-red and was the original 'crimson', something seen on royalty, not on the "Scarlet Letter" which is a bright 'stop sign' red. The color of her 'pony' makes more sense in the next verse when we hear about her uniform of the day.
... being full of names of blasphemy...
The text implies that the beast is 'full of the names', but it could also mean that the woman had the names, or even both, which would be in character with what they represent.
... with seven heads and ten horns. Implying that we've met this critter, or a near relative, before in chapter 13 when it comes out of the sea. We don't know if it is the same 'beast' at this point.
4
And the woman was clothed in "porphyroun" (royal (reddish-blue) purple) and "kokkinon" (crimson), and "kechrysomene chrysio" (gilded, covered with golden ornaments) and "litho timio" (stones preciouskai) and "margaritais" (pearls) and holding a "poterion chrysoun" (cup gilded with gold), "gemo" (brimming full) of "bdelygmaton / bdelugma" (disgusting / abhorrent and accursed / abominations ("to reek with foul odor")) "akathartos" (impurity / uncleanliness (religious implications. Includes "the demonic")) of the "porneias" (plural: idolatry / general immorality / fornication / etc) of her.
OK, you have a woman who stole Napoleon's royal robes, holding some of Liberace's tableware, riding on the star of a Midnight Monster Movie, and who takes the classic list of Seven Deadly Sins as just another day at the office. Got it.
5
She has a "onoma" (name) "gegrammenon / grapho" (written / in writing) on her "metopon" (forehead), a "mysterion" (mystery)...
... If you change out the word "harlots" for "idolaters" the 1611 isn't bad.
And now we'll answer the question from the first time out.
There is probably a couple of reasons that we can guess as to why the translators used the English words they did.
The first and least cynical is for readability and the flow of the text. One simple and common, although somewhat dramatic word is used to convey a certain level of meaning, even though it misses a good deal of the underlying flavor of the original language. In some cases, those nuances can distract from the larger story and interrupt the overall train of thought that is being relayed, even though they may be important details. Such as our current discussion of what all the "whore of Babylon" has been up to. While prostitution is part of the picture, it is only part of it, there's other activities going on, such as back room business deals that are morally .... well, morality isn't part of the deal, that GOD may have issues with. We'll come back to those in a moment.
We'll skip the middling reasons, such as arguments between members of the 1611 committee which may have led to tie-breaking votes by King James I (who was also King James VI of Scotland) who had, shall we say, some unusual concepts of religious ideas as well as bed partners. See link below for an example.
The explanation we're going to go with scores at least an eight point five on the ten point cynical scale, and fits right in with our premise that they 'turned down the heat' in the book.
By focusing on sexual immorality (a "pleasure of the body") instead of the various other practices that come in the package of "Idolatry", they avoid some of the things that those in the court, including various royals, thought were their 'divine right'. At least a few of the various Popes from before and after the "Saeculum obscurum" broke most of ten of the Commandments before lunch. And we're not even going to discuss Caligula who ruled the Roman Empire from 37 to 41 AD (during the early days of the church, followed by Claudius, then Nero).
The sin of idolatry is letting anything else get between you and God. That can be anything of this world. It is usually money, but is often other possessions. It can also be intangibles like fame or glory, or even religious practices that focus more on ritual and tradition than God. So it is a lot easier if you're translating a text that you're going to have to preach from to focus on an easily defined and somewhat taboo subject like sex, which those with a certain level of self-righteousness can look smug about, instead of the larger meaning of the words in the original language, including the 'loving others' we saw in chapters two and three, which might hit a little too close to home for some.
And it also makes life easier on the so called "princes of the church" in their own gilded palaces who like to walk in procession in their fine robes to their ornate thrones after an 'interesting' evening before.
"Let them hate me, so they but fear me"
- Caligula (there's some dispute about his given name(s) so we'll skip it and move on)
end second time out
... mystery ":" (colon) (in the Greek, the following words are emphasized) "Babylon" (word is the same) the "Megas" (great / large / etc) the "Meter" (mother) of the / to the "Porne" (idolater / whore / etc) and of the "Bdelugma" (disgusting ... etc) of the "Ges" (the Earth (the planet)).
The use of the name of the town emphasizes that this is a different locale than the other 'great city' we saw in chapter 11 verse 8.
6
"and I saw"... the woman "methyousan" (intoxicated) with the "haimatos" (blood) of the "hagion" (believers / those set apart for God / saints) and the "haimatos" (blood) of the "martyron Iesou" (witnesses of Jesus)...
The 1611 and other translations do John a disservice in the next clause: "And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration"
That's not the tone of the Greek. It would be better stated as
when I was "thaumazo" (surprise / shock - bordering on disbelief) seeing her "thauma" (astonishment)...
(and when I saw her, I couldn't believe my eyes. (such as if John just saw a UFO))
John is seeing the chief idolater in all of history, sitting in a wasteland, and celebrating the spilling of the blood of the faithful, and it does not specify if these believers are Christians or Jews or anybody else.
The language reminds us of Daniel's "Abomination of Desolation" which was referring to the desecration of the temple by pagans. The term is used in chapter 11, but the entire sequence that leads up to it takes several of the previous chapters, and comes to a head in 2 Maccabees 6: 2 when the temple is rededicated to Zeus by the occupying Greeks in about 167 BC. A favor that was later repaid to the Greeks by the Romans when a temple to Zeus was 'repurposed' as a temple to the Emperor as we saw in Pergamon in Revelation 2.
7
John's latest tour guide is back, the "aggelos" (angel) asks John "dia tis" (because of what) he's "thaumazo" (amazed / surprised / etc) by what he sees, then the angel says he will explain the mystery of the woman and her steed of choice with the seven heads and ten horns.
8
The angel is speaking.
The "therion" (beast (also: wild animal)) you saw that "eimi (exists) and "ou eimi" (not exists) ...
This beast is apparently real, and not real, simultaneously, and in a little bit, it is 'to be'. Perhaps it is real to those that interact with the woman, and is only a rumor or suspicion to those that refuse to deal with her. Or, it is only real to her, and to John while he's watching, and nobody else knows the source of her power. We may wonder why that detail is important, but it must be because John's friend mentioned it, and he wrote it down. So we took a moment and discussed it.
... and is "mellei" ('about to' or 'intends to') "anabaino" (ascend / rise / etc) "ek tes Abyssou" (out of the Abyss / Bottomless Pit) and "eis" (to a time and place (as in 'an appointment')) of "apoleian" (total destruction ('damnation': eternal ruin)) "hupago" ('go away' / depart); and will be viewed with "thaumaz....." (the root means amazed / surprised) ....
A focus of wonder.
In 17, both "thauma" and it form "thaumasthesontai" were translated into English as "wonder", and "ethaumasas" as "marvel" . While the root word is similar, the implied meaning in the text is somewhat different. And the difference makes a difference in the overall story being told. Such as the difference between 'not believing one's eyes', and 'amazed astonishment and admiration'. Again, we can only suppose the terms used in English were in an effort to make the narrative more readable.
At least we hope so.
End focus
... "thaumasthesontai" ((gape-jawed admiration) stand entranced by) those "katoikeo" (inhabiting / living) on the "ge" (earth)....
(some translations insert a parenthesis that is not in the Greek)
whose "onoma" (names) are not "grapho" (written) in the "biblion tes zoes" (roll / book of life) from the "kataboles" (conception) of the "kosmou" (universe (the root word is for 'cosmos')), when they "bleponton" (perceive / see / hear / know about) the beast "hoti" (that) "eimi" ('is') "ou eimi" ('not is'), and "pareimi" ('to be' / 'will be') ('in three time phases').
This is what we discussed earlier. The beast exists, doesn't exist, and yet will exist.
NOTE: This is an example where it helps in the understanding of The Apocalypse to have spent the last thirty years reading obscure texts from ancient civilizations (see link below) and writing science-fiction and science-possible as well as the articles in the non-fiction Mystery Series (link also below).
Mountainous tangent
Before we start counting hills, a bit of clarification: Cities built on Seven Hills/Mountains include: Athens (both in Greece and in Texas!), Istanbul, Jerusalem, Moscow, Rome... Seattle.... Providence, Rhode Island... (see link below to the list, there are other cities on it)
The point here is: Don't jump to conclusions based on the number of hills, like every commentator in history has.
It was a short tangent.
End tangent
... the seven heads are seven "ore" (mountains / hills) where the woman sits on them.
The woman is sitting on seven hills, she is also in a 'lonely place' / wilderness. The implications is that this city is in the middle of nowhere, on seven hills. But as we just saw, there's all sorts of places built on 'seven hills', and, maybe at this point in the future Liverpool, England (another city built on seven hills) will be in a barren wasteland.
10
And "basileus" (king / ruler) "hepta" (seven) "eimi" (exist (same word as used with the beast)).
Seven Sovereigns exist / have existed. Period, not comma. Then the verse continues.
The "pente epesan" (five are 'fallen'), "ho heis eimi" (the one exists), the "allos oupo elthen" (other not yet come); and "hotan elthe" (when they come), "oligos" (small / short / little / few / etc) "auton" (he / it / they....) "dei" (must / ought / should) "meno" (stay / remain / continue).
Pronoun trouble focus:
While many of the specific pronouns are male or female, such as male angels, the woman in the wilderness, etc. many of the pronouns in Revelation are Neutral (it), or even plural (them). Such is the case here in 17 :10 with the 'ruler yet to come' which is uses a neutral "auton", "autos" or similar, which can be 'they', which means the coming seventh ruler could be male or female, or a 'committee', or in the case of the beast, an "it".
End focus.
11
The beast "was, and is not", is also the "ogdoos" (the eighth) 'ruler' (implied) and is "ek / ex" (from / of (an 'heir' one way or another)) the seventh ruler, and into "apoleia" (eternal ruin) "hupago" (departs / 'goes away to').
The 'beast' will be the eighth ruler, which... ends badly. The verse doesn't say the beast 'dies', but one would think that if it is 'leaving' to go to its own destruction, then ending up a corpse, perhaps in small pieces, is in play.
12
The 'ten horns' are ten "basileus" (kings / rulers) who do not have a "basileia" (kingdom), yet, but do have "exousia" (power / control / authority / etc) they get for one hour, as does the beast.
These 'rulers' do not have any authority that comes naturally, such as the 'king' of a country, but they have some sort of power over people anyway. Something we see in the present day with so called 'social media influencers' and various celebrities who are "famous for being famous". The beast also gets the same sort of power... although the text doesn't say who gives this power to them. Ultimately it will come from GOD, but we do not know if there is a middle-man somewhere handing it out.
13
These 'all hat and no cattle' rulers have one "gnome" (intention / thought / purpose) and their own "dunamis" (ability / strength (includes a sense of the miraculous)) and "exousia" (power / control...) they "didomi" (willingly give / bestow) to the beast.
14
These, the rulers, will with the "Arniou" (Lamb) "polemeo" (start a war / fight a battle), and the Lamb will "nikesei" (be victorious / prevail) over them because He is "Kurios kurios" (Lord of lords) and "Basileus basileus" (King of kings); and those with Him are the "kletos" (invited/ called) and "eklektos" (chosen / selected / elect) and "pistos" (trustworthy / faithful / believing).
For a look at another use of the "King of Kings..." phrase, see 1 Timothy 6 : 15.
15
The angel speaks again and says that the 'many waters' (back in 17 : 1) the woman is sitting on are "laoi" (peoples / nations) and "ochloi" (a throng of people / rabble) and are "ethne" (foreign nations (gentiles)) and "glossai" (languages).
Another explanation. By "rabble" John means that some/most of the people consorting with the woman are just people, the "great unwashed" of the world, not just the power elites and others who were working for the beast. Which is why "idolatry" makes more sense than simply sexual promiscuity.
16
And the ten horns (the 'kings' without land) and the beast will "miseo" (abhor / detest (worse than 'hate')) the "porne" (harlot), and will make her "eremoo" (desolate / destitute (to 'come to nothing')) and "gumnos" (naked / exposed (also implies defenseless)) and her "sarx" (material / body (flesh)) they will "phagontai" (consume / eat) and her 'they will' "katakaio en pur" ('totally' burn up with fire).
We could read this verse in more modern terms as in: "When these politicians and celebrities have used her up, and are done with her, they take everything she has of value, then burn what's left to hide their crime. Essentially: business as usual."
17
For "Theos" (GOD) has put into their "kardias" (innermost thoughts / hearts) to do this for His purposes, and His intentions, and to give their kingdoms to the beast until the "telesthesontai" (accomplished) the "logoi" (motives / reasons) of GOD.
The Greek word "kardia" (heart) is used over 150 times in the New Testament, and every time it means something like what it means here, something besides the muscular organ in a person's chest that keeps them alive. The ancients thought that organ, besides pumping blood, was also the seat of emotions, which is why the basic shape became associated with that pagan-based mid winter holiday.
18
And the woman is the "polis" (city) "megas" (great / mighty) that has "basileian" (rule / reign (includes 'implied rule')) over the "basileon" (rulers / kings (same root as previous word)) of the "ge" (Earth).
And we still do not know if 'the city', as represented, is a physical place complete with a ZIP code and a regional mass transit district, or if it represents an international organization which has power and prestige (money) and all that, and, say, seven "regional offices" in various places, from which it courts kings and celebrities. And on top of that, it might be a real city, or corporation, that doesn't exist today and will totally spring up new and interesting, and those 'kings' and celebs will go flocking to it... like moths to a flame.
End 17
Selected Sources for this chapter:
A downloadable PDF of Erasmus's 1539 translation
https://ia601903.us.archive.org/12/items/1539-erasmus-nt-greek-latin/1539%20Erasmus%20NT%20Greek%20Latin.pdf
The Latin Vulgate: http://www.latinvulgate.com/verse.aspx?t=1&b=27&c=17
Is is what it says it is: https://daily.jstor.org/the-cadaver-synod-putting-a-dead-pope-on-trial/
Bad Popes and the Saeculum Obscurum https://taylormarshall.com/2017/08/good-popes-bad-popes-saeculum-obscurum.html
The Year of the Four Emperors:
https://www.unrv.com/early-empire/year-four-emperors.php
King James VI and I s Demonology, 1597:
Description:
https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/king-james-vi-and-is-demonology-1597
Downloadable:https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25929
"Filled with a number of male lovelies : the surprising court of King James VI and I":
https://www.bbc.co.uk
Full URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4qVDwb2kBfd2G4Pkz3P88kZ/filled-with-a-number-of-male-lovelies-the-surprising-court-of-king-james-vi-and-i#:~:text=For%20social%20historian%20Emma%20Dabiri,were%20in%20an%20intimate%20relationship.
Seven Hills: https://www.listchallenges.com/list-of-cities-claimed-to-be-built-on-seven-hills
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https://sacred-texts.com/
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https://themediadesk.com/
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Sources used throughout entire study:
Bible Hub Interlinear pages:
https://biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/1.htm
the Geneva Bible downloadable https://archive.org/details/TheGenevaBible1560
the 1611 KJV https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611-Bible/
NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.
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