Revelation 17:1-2
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse sets up a stark contrast: the angel invites John to witness "judgment," but immediately highlights the "great prostitute" who "sits on many waters." This "sitting" isn't just a posture, but signifies her established power and ease, ruling over vast populations, and it's this very dominance that will ultimately lead to her downfall.
John is invited by one of the seven angels to witness the impending judgment on a powerful, corrupt entity symbolized as a "great prostitute." This vision follows the pouring out of the seven bowls of God's wrath, and it elaborates on the destruction of this harlot, who is depicted as ruling over vast populations and nations, much like ancient Babylon. This symbolic figure represents a great city that exerts dominion over earthly kings through her seductions and idolatry.
An angel appears, not to offer comfort, but to reveal something terrifying. What does this 'invitation' tell us about God's perspective on sin?
This chapter opens with a dramatic summons. One of the seven angels, who previously poured out God's judgment (the vials), now invites John to witness the fate of a powerful, corrupt entity described as a 'great prostitute.' This isn't a gentle unfolding; it's an unveiling of divine reckoning. The angel's role shifts from administering judgment to revealing its target and its consequences. This highlights that God desires humanity to understand the seriousness of sin and the certainty of judgment, not as a spectacle, but as a revelation of His justice and holiness. It's an invitation to see the reality behind deceptive appearances.
Why is this powerful entity called a 'great prostitute'? What does this imagery reveal about her true nature and influence?
The 'great prostitute' is a powerful symbol of spiritual adultery and deception. In biblical terms, a prostitute often represents someone who is unfaithful to their covenant or their spouse. Here, it symbolizes a religious or political system that has abandoned its devotion to God and instead pursues illicit alliances with the powers of the world. She 'sits on many waters,' which the text itself explains represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15). This shows her vast influence and dominion. She is not a fringe element but a dominant force, seducing leaders and nations with her allurements, making them 'drunken' with her deceptive influence, rather than clinging to God.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Revelation 17:1-2 is available in the Sola app.
The angel promises to show John the 'judgment' of this prostitute. What does 'judgment' entail in this context?
The word 'judgment' here signifies not just condemnation, but the active process of God's reckoning and retribution. This prostitute, despite her apparent power and allure, is ultimately subject to God's sovereign decree. The text emphasizes that her reign of deception and seduction will not go unpunished. The angel's purpose is to reveal the outcome of her unfaithfulness – her downfall and divine punishment. This sets the stage for the detailed exposition that follows, showing that God's justice will ultimately prevail over all systems that oppose Him and lead His people astray.
Understand the original words
angelos · Greek Noun
An exalted heavenly messenger, frequently appearing in Revelation as an agent of God’s revelation or judgment, acting as an intermediary between the divine and human realms.
pornē · Greek Noun
A metaphor for idolatrous unfaithfulness to God, typically involving the illicit pursuit of other gods, earthly power, or worldly alliances, characterized by spiritual adultery.
hydōr · Greek Noun
In biblical imagery, this often represents the nations or the tumultuous, chaotic, and often hostile masses of humanity over whom powers exercise control.
basileus · Greek Noun
A term for world leaders who align themselves with hostile powers against the reign of God, symbolizing worldly authority that rejects divine sovereignty.
porneia · Greek Noun
A general term for spiritual infidelity, signifying the abandonment of covenant loyalty to God in exchange for idolatrous or worldly alliances.
methyskō · Greek Verb
The state of being under the deceptive or overpowering influence of sin, idolatry, or demonic systems, leading to a loss of discernment and spiritual clarity.
The imagery of the 'great whore' sitting on 'many waters' draws heavily from ancient Babylon's historical power and eventual fall. By using this symbol, John connects the corrupt religious and political systems of his day, particularly apostate Rome, to the archetypal empire that oppressed God's people, highlighting their shared spiritual harlotry and impending judgment.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation of Judah
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating a series of exiles that would eventually lead to the city's destruction. This marks Babylon's rise as a dominant world power.
c. 587-586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This catastrophic event profoundly shaped Jewish identity and eschatology.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Medo-Persian Empire, led by Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon. This event signifies the end of Babylonian supremacy and a shift in global power dynamics.
c. 1st century AD
Roman Empire at its Zenith
Rome is the dominant imperial power, controlling vast territories and diverse populations across the Mediterranean world. Its influence, wealth, and military might shape the political landscape.
c. AD 95— this verse
John's Vision on Patmos
The Apostle John receives a series of divine revelations while exiled on the island of Patmos. These visions form the basis of the Book of Revelation, a complex prophecy about future events and spiritual realities.
This verse describes ancient Babylon, situated by abundant waters, and serves as a direct precursor to Revelation's imagery, highlighting the symbolic connection between great cities, their power, and their eventual judgment.
Ezekiel 23:2This passage uses the metaphor of two unfaithful sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, to represent Israel and Judah's spiritual harlotry with foreign powers, paralleling the symbolic unfaithfulness of the 'great prostitute' in Revelation.
Isaiah 1:21Here, Jerusalem is called a 'harlot' that once was faithful but is now filled with injustice, directly echoing the theme of spiritual betrayal and corruption central to the 'great prostitute' in Revelation.
Luke 4:5-7This passage shows Satan tempting Jesus with dominion over 'all the kingdoms of the world,' mirroring the worldly power and allure that the 'great prostitute' represents and wields over nations.
Revelation 18:3This verse directly follows Revelation 17 and explains how the 'great prostitute' has made all nations drink the wine of her immoral passion, emphasizing the widespread corrupting influence described in chapter 17.
pooleRevelation 17:1: "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:"
Revelation 17:1-4 John’s vision of the great whore, sitting upon the scarlet coloured beast, arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand. Revelation 17:5 Her name. Revelation 17:6 She is drunken with the blood of saints. Revelation 17:7-17 The interpretation of t…
ellicottRevelation 17:1: "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:"
(1) And there came . . . —One of the vial-bearing angels summons the seer, saying, Hither I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters (or, the many waters —comp. Revelation 17:15 ). The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, an…
This verse sets up a stark contrast: the angel invites John to witness "judgment," but immediately highlights the "great prostitute" who "sits on many waters." This "sitting" isn't just a posture, but signifies her established power and ease, ruling over vast populations, and it's this very dominance that will ultimately lead to her downfall.
John is invited by one of the seven angels to witness the impending judgment on a powerful, corrupt entity symbolized as a "great prostitute." This vision follows the pouring out of the seven bowls of God's wrath, and it elaborates on the destruction of this harlot, who is depicted as ruling over vast populations and nations, much like ancient Babylon. This symbolic figure represents a great city that exerts dominion over earthly kings through her seductions and idolatry.
John is invited by one of the seven angels to witness the impending judgment on a powerful, corrupt entity symbolized as a "great prostitute." This vision follows the pouring out of the seven bowls of God's wrath, and it elaborates on the destruction of this harlot, who is depicted as ruling over vast populations and nations, much like ancient Babylon. This symbolic figure represents a great city that exerts dominion over earthly kings through her seductions and idolatry.
"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with…" — This verse sets up a stark contrast: the angel invites John to witness "judgment," but immediately highlights the "great prostitute" who "sits on many waters." This "sitting" isn't just a posture, bu…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
