1Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
2The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
3And 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.
4The 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.
5And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6I 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.
7“Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
8The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.
9This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
10There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. But when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.
11The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction.
12The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast.
13These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
15Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
16And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
18And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 17 Section and Chapter Commentary
Rev 17:1-18
Rome as the W***e of Babylon
The Book of Revelation identifies the 'W***e of Babylon' as the city of Rome, which is described as being drunk with the blood of martyrs and fabulously wealthy through exploiting the earth. The seven heads of the beast on which she sits are explicitly stated to represent the seven hills of Rome, and the number 666 is interpreted as the numerical value of Emperor Nero's name in Hebrew, solidifying Rome as the primary enemy.
Summarized by AI · Through the Eye of a Needle: Jesus's Teachings on Wealth and Their Modern Relevance · Lecture 8: Problematic Developments · watch the clip
Revelation's Symbolism for Rome
Scholarly consensus recognizes that the symbolism in Revelation, including figures like the beast (Antichrist), the Whore of Babylon, and the number 666, refers to Rome and its emperor. Understanding this imagery within its historical context reveals the book's message was directed at the Roman world of John's time, not a distant future.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does the Book of Revelation Predict our Future? · watch the clip
Babylon as a code word for Rome
First Peter concludes with greetings from 'Babylon,' which is understood by scholars as a Christian code word for Rome, as seen in the Book of Revelation. This code word emerged after Rome's destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 70 CE, mirroring Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · But Could Peter Write Anything? · watch the clip
The Woman on the Beast: Babylon the Great
In Revelation 17, John sees a grotesque woman, adorned in jewels, sitting on a beast with seven heads and many horns. She is identified as 'Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots,' drunk with the blood of Jesus' martyrs. An angel explains that the seven heads of the beast represent the 'seven hills on which she is seated,' and the woman herself is 'the city seated on the seven hills.' This clearly identifies her as Rome, known for its seven hills and persecution of Christians, and 'Babylon' is a symbolic name for Rome, referencing the city that destroyed Jerusalem.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · The Book of Revelation and the End of the World: Are the Signs Now Being Fulfilled? · watch the clip
Ezra's Displaced Setting and Roman Destruction
The book of Fourth Ezra presents a fictional setting where Ezra is alive 30 years after Jerusalem's destruction, but the author is actually referring to the destruction by the Romans, not the Babylonians. This displacement of trauma, using 'Babylon' as a cipher for Rome, is a common literary device in texts of this period, including the Book of Revelation.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 20: After the Fall · watch the clip
Babylon as Rome in Revelation
The Book of Revelation uses 'Babylon' as a cipher for Rome, depicting it as a 'great whore' seated on many waters, clothed in purple and scarlet, and riding a beast with seven heads (a city on seven hills). This imagery prophesies the destruction of Rome, reenacting the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 20: After the Fall · watch the clip
Rev 17:1-6
Revelation 23:34: 'Admiration' vs. 'Astonishment'
In Revelation, John describes seeing the Whore of Babylon and in the King James Version, he states he 'looked upon her with great admiration.' This translation is misleading in modern English, as 'admiration' in 1611 meant 'astonishment.' The original intent was that John was astonished by the vision, not admiring the prostitute.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · What is the King James Version? · watch the clip
Revelation 17 Verse Notes
Rev 17:1
Babylon the Great as a Symbol for Rome
Revelation attacks an entity called 'Babylon the Great,' depicted as a woman riding a seven-headed, ten-horned beast. Scholars interpret this as a code for the city of Rome and, by extension, the Roman Empire. This entity is described as 'drunk with the blood of the saints' and 'full of blasphemous names,' fitting the image of a persecuting empire that promoted emperor worship.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 26: Visions of the End | Decoding Revelation · watch the clip
The Number of the Beast
Revelation 13:18 refers to the 'number of the beast' as 666, but some manuscripts present it as 616. This variation is understood through gematria, where letters have numerical values. Both numbers correspond to 'Caesar Nero' when spelled in Hebrew letters, with the difference arising from whether the final 'N' (noon, worth 50) is included in the spelling. This suggests the beast is a symbolic reference to the Roman Emperor Nero, a persecutor of Christians.
Summarized by AI · The Scribal Corruption of Scripture: How the Bible Was Changed and Why Readers May Never Know · Lecture 3: Arguments and Evidence | The Case for Probability Instead of Certainty · watch the clip
Revelation's Reference to Rome as Babylon
The Book of Revelation refers to the enemy of Christians as 'Babylon,' specifically 'the Whore of Babylon' seated on a beast with seven heads. This imagery is a clear reference to Rome, which was built on seven hills. By calling Rome 'Babylon,' the author draws a parallel to the Old Testament city of Babylon, which destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, indicating that Revelation was written after the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Claim to be God? · watch the clip
The Whore of Babylon as a symbol of immorality
The figure known as the Whore of Babylon, appearing in Revelation chapters 2 and 17, symbolizes extreme sexual immorality and is represented as a prostitute. Babylon itself is a symbolic placeholder for Rome, and the Whore embodies the worst aspects of a lack of self-mastery and general immorality.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · The Most Difficult Interpretation of the New Testament I've Encountered · watch the clip
Rome's Destruction in Revelation
In Revelation, Rome and Nero are depicted as enemies of God, not primarily for the persecution of Christians, but for their immense wealth acquired through exploitation and their usurpation of God's authority over the Earth. The author condemns Rome as a 'Harlot of Babylon,' adorned with riches, and believes God will destroy it because its accumulated wealth rightfully belongs to Christians as followers of the true King of the Earth.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is the God of Revelation the Same as the God of Jesus? · watch the clip
Rev 17:5
Babylon the Great and Rome
Revelation uses the coded term 'Babylon the Great' and references 'seven mountains' to symbolize the Roman Empire. These allusions would have been readily understood by ancient readers, as Rome was known as the city built on seven hills, reinforcing the text's critique of Roman authority.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 12: Satan and the "Antichrist" in the New Testament · watch the clip
Revelation's Reference to Rome as Babylon
The Book of Revelation refers to the enemy of Christians as 'Babylon,' specifically 'the Whore of Babylon' seated on a beast with seven heads. This imagery is a clear reference to Rome, which was built on seven hills. By calling Rome 'Babylon,' the author draws a parallel to the Old Testament city of Babylon, which destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, indicating that Revelation was written after the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Claim to be God? · watch the clip
Rev 17:6
Nero and Revelation's Persecution
The Book of Revelation depicts Nero and the Roman Empire as persecutors, with Rome being 'drunk with the blood of the martyrs.' However, historical scholarship suggests that the persecution of Christians under Nero was limited, mainly to Rome, and not as widespread or massive as portrayed in Revelation. The author of Revelation may have been describing perceived persecution and opposition rather than historical realities, a common phenomenon in Christian history.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Were the Apostles of Jesus All Martyred? · watch the clip
KJV's Misleading Archaic Meanings
A significant problem with the King James Version is that it uses words that modern readers think they understand, but which had different meanings in 1611. For instance, in Philippians 3:20, 'conversation' means 'citizenship,' not 'talking.' In 2 Kings, 'strange women' refers to 'foreign women,' not unusual ones. And in Revelation 17:6, 'admiration' means 'astonishment' or 'wonder,' not approval, when describing the prophet's reaction to the Whore of Babylon.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · The KJV is a Literary Masterpiece, And a Disaster Study Bible · watch the clip
Rev 17:9
Babylon the Great and Rome
Revelation uses the coded term 'Babylon the Great' and references 'seven mountains' to symbolize the Roman Empire. These allusions would have been readily understood by ancient readers, as Rome was known as the city built on seven hills, reinforcing the text's critique of Roman authority.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 12: Satan and the "Antichrist" in the New Testament · watch the clip
Rome as the City of Seven Hills
Revelation 17:9 states that the seven heads of the beast on which the woman sits are 'seven mountains on which the woman is seated.' This detail strongly points to Rome, which is historically known as the city of seven hills. Roman coinage from the era also depicted personified Rome sitting on seven hills, providing a recognizable stock image for early readers.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 26: Visions of the End | Decoding Revelation · watch the clip
Revelation's Reference to Rome as Babylon
The Book of Revelation refers to the enemy of Christians as 'Babylon,' specifically 'the Whore of Babylon' seated on a beast with seven heads. This imagery is a clear reference to Rome, which was built on seven hills. By calling Rome 'Babylon,' the author draws a parallel to the Old Testament city of Babylon, which destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, indicating that Revelation was written after the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Claim to be God? · watch the clip
Seven Hills and Earthly Rulers
The number seven frequently appears in Revelation, not only for the churches addressed but also in relation to 'seven hills' associated with earthly rulers. This imagery connects to Roman coins from the first and second centuries, which often depicted Rome on seven hills, reinforcing the idea that the beast represents Roman imperial power.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · What Is the Mark of the Beast? · watch the clip
Interpretation of Revelation's Symbolism
The symbolism in the Book of Revelation was not intended to obscure its meaning from authorities but was characteristic of apocalyptic literature. Ancient readers in the Roman Empire would have readily understood much of its imagery, such as the Beast with seven heads and ten horns representing Rome. Early Christian commentaries confirm this understanding, indicating that the original audience had a good grasp of its message, unlike many modern readers.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Pontius Pilate in a Different Light: A Little Known Apocryphal Gospel · watch the clip
Rev 17:18
The Number of the Beast
Revelation 13:18 refers to the 'number of the beast' as 666, but some manuscripts present it as 616. This variation is understood through gematria, where letters have numerical values. Both numbers correspond to 'Caesar Nero' when spelled in Hebrew letters, with the difference arising from whether the final 'N' (noon, worth 50) is included in the spelling. This suggests the beast is a symbolic reference to the Roman Emperor Nero, a persecutor of Christians.
Summarized by AI · The Scribal Corruption of Scripture: How the Bible Was Changed and Why Readers May Never Know · Lecture 3: Arguments and Evidence | The Case for Probability Instead of Certainty · watch the clip
