Revelation 17:4-5
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This woman’s outward splendor—purple, scarlet, gold, jewels—isn't just decoration; it's a deliberate, seductive facade. The text emphasizes that her golden cup is the true centerpiece, not for drinking, but for holding utter filth, a stark contrast that reveals her deceptive, alluring nature.
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This chapter vividly depicts a seductive, powerful woman, representing a system of spiritual corruption and idolatry, adorned with the rich colors and jewels of royalty. She clutches a golden cup, not filled with wine, but with all sorts of disgusting things, symbolizing the deceptive allure of her "immoralities." This image stands in stark contrast to the purity God desires, presenting a captivating but ultimately deadly seduction that has intoxicated the nations.
Why is this 'woman' dressed in such lavish and expensive colors and jewels? What does her outward appearance communicate versus what she holds?
The woman described in Revelation 17:4 is adorned in rich purple and scarlet, with gold, precious stones, and pearls. These are not just pretty decorations; they signify imperial power and immense wealth. Historically, purple was associated with royalty and high status, while scarlet was a vibrant, costly dye. The gold, gems, and pearls further emphasize her opulence.
But this outward display is a deceptive facade. She holds a golden cup, which sounds valuable, but it's 'full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.' This is the crucial contrast: the dazzling exterior hides a rotten, corrupt interior. Her splendor is not a sign of divine favor but a tool of seduction, designed to mask her spiritual deadness and her destructive influence on the world.
What is the 'golden cup' doing in her hand, and why is it so significant to her identity?
The golden cup is the centerpiece of this woman's deceptive power. While it's made of gold, a symbol of value, its contents are utterly vile: 'abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.' This cup represents the false promises, idolatrous practices, and corrupting influences that this entity offers to the world.
Like a harlot using alluring charms and intoxicating drinks to draw people in, this figure seduces nations. The 'sexual immorality' is a metaphor for spiritual unfaithfulness—turning away from God to chase after worldly systems, false religions, or corrupt ideologies. Those who 'drink' from her cup become spiritually intoxicated, losing their discernment and becoming enslaved to her destructive ways. The gold of the cup highlights the attractive, valuable appearance of these deceptions.
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Understand the original words
bdelygma · Greek Noun
Acts, objects, or practices that are detestable and loathsome in the eyes of God, specifically referring to idolatry and the corruption associated with it.
mystērion · Greek Noun
A reality that was once hidden but is now revealed by God to His people; in apocalyptic, it refers to a symbolic truth that requires divine revelation to interpret.
Babylōn · Greek Noun
A symbolic city name representing the pinnacle of rebellion against God, worldly pride, and the source of spiritual corruption throughout history.
This passage draws on rich Old Testament imagery of luxury and seduction, applying it to a powerful, faithless entity that uses its splendor and a 'golden cup' of allurements to corrupt the world, rather than offering pure worship.
c. 1400 BC
Tyre's Golden Age
The prosperous Phoenician city of Tyre, known for its valuable purple dye, is described with lavish imagery of wealth and adornment.
c. 600 BC
Babylon's Golden Cup
The prophet Jeremiah describes Babylon as a beautiful golden cup, intoxicating the nations with its power and idolatry, leading to God's judgment.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Mocked in Purple
During Jesus' trial, Roman soldiers mockingly dress him in a robe of royal purple, highlighting the contrast between earthly power and divine authority.
c. AD 1200
Early Critiques of Rome
Scholars begin to associate the Church of Rome with the symbolic imagery of a corrupt, wealthy woman, foreshadowing later interpretations of Revelation.
c. 1550 AD— this verse
Reformation Era Interpretations
Protestant reformers widely interpret the 'great whore' as the Roman Catholic Church, pointing to the opulent vestments of popes and cardinals as evidence.
c. 1700 AD
Medallic Symbolism
The Roman Catholic Church uses imagery of a woman holding a cup on its medals, which some interpret as a self-fulfilling prophetic symbol.
This passage describes Jerusalem adorned with fine linen, purple, and scarlet, echoing the luxurious and deceptive attire of the woman in Revelation, highlighting how outward splendor can mask inner corruption.
Jeremiah 51:7Jeremiah describes Babylon as a golden cup that made the nations drunk, directly paralleling the imagery in Revelation where the woman holds a golden cup full of abominations, symbolizing her intoxicating and destructive influence.
Matthew 27:28The soldiers mockingly array Jesus in purple, the same color mentioned for the woman in Revelation, linking her imperial and deceptive grandeur to the rejection of true kingship.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse warns that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, which connects to the woman's adornment with gold, jewels, and pearls, signifying the worldly wealth that fuels her corrupt practices.
ellicottRevelation 17:4: "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:"
(4) And the woman was arrayed . . . —Better, arrayed (or, clad ) in purple (the colour of the robe which was in mockery put on our Lord— John 19:2 ) and scarlet, gilded (not “decked”) with gold, &c. Her appearance is one of imperial splendour. (Comp. the description of Tyre in Ezeki…
barnesRevelation 17:4: "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:"
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour - On the nature of the scarlet color, see the notes on Revelation 17:3 . The purple color - πορφύρα porphura - was obtained from a species of shellfish found on the coasts of the Mediterranean, which yielded a reddish-purple d…
This woman’s outward splendor—purple, scarlet, gold, jewels—isn't just decoration; it's a deliberate, seductive facade. The text emphasizes that her golden cup is the true centerpiece, not for drinking, but for holding utter filth, a stark contrast that reveals her deceptive, alluring nature.
This chapter vividly depicts a seductive, powerful woman, representing a system of spiritual corruption and idolatry, adorned with the rich colors and jewels of royalty. She clutches a golden cup, not filled with wine, but with all sorts of disgusting things, symbolizing the deceptive allure of her "immoralities." This image stands in stark contrast to the purity God desires, presenting a captivating but ultimately deadly seduction that has intoxicated the nations.
This chapter vividly depicts a seductive, powerful woman, representing a system of spiritual corruption and idolatry, adorned with the rich colors and jewels of royalty. She clutches a golden cup, not filled with wine, but with all sorts of disgusting things, symbolizing the deceptive allure of her "immoralities." This image stands in stark contrast to the purity God desires, presenting a captivating but ultimately deadly seduction that has intoxicated the nations.
"The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery:…" — This woman’s outward splendor—purple, scarlet, gold, jewels—isn't just decoration; it's a deliberate, seductive facade. The text emphasizes that her golden cup is the true centerpiece, not for drin…
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Last reviewed October 2026
