Revelation 17:15

Revelation 17:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

Context of Revelation 17:15

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.” Then 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.

Revelation 17:15 word by word

Καὶ λέγει μοι· τὰ ὕδατα ἃ εἶδες, οὗ ἡ πόρνη κάθηται, λαοὶ καὶ ὄχλοι εἰσὶν καὶ ἔθνη καὶ γλῶσσαι.Read the interlinear

• Thenκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• watersὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• you sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• whereοὗhou · whitherG3757
• prostituteπόρνηpornē · prostituteG4204
• was seatedκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• peoplesλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• multitudesὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
• nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100

Cross-references for Revelation 17:15

• Revelation 17:1Then 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.
• Psalms 18:4The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
• Psalms 65:7You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations.
• Psalms 93:3The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves.
• Isaiah 8:7the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates— the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
• Jeremiah 51:13You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.
• Revelation 10:11And they told me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
• Revelation 11:9For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb.
• Revelation 13:7Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

Commentaries on Revelation 17:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues - "So many words," Bishop Newton observes, "in the plural number, fitly denote the great extensiveness of her power and jurisdiction. She herself glories in the title of the Catholic Church, and exults in the number of her votaries as a certain proof of the true religion. Cardinal Bellarmin's first note of the true Church is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15And he saith unto me - The angel, Revelation 17:7. This commences the more “literal” statement of what is meant by these symbols. See the Analysis of the chapter. The waters which thou sawest - See the notes on Revelation 17:1. Are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues - For an explanation of these terms, see the notes on Revelation 7:9. The meaning here is: (a) that these waters represent a multitude of people. This is a common and an obvious…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 God so ruled the hearts of these kings, by his power over them, and by his providence, that they did those things, without intending it, which he purposed and foretold. They shall see their folly, and how they have been bewitched and enslaved by the harlot, and be made instruments in her destruction. She was that great city which reigned over the kings of the earth, when John had this vision; and every one knows Rome to be that city…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16Although the prostitute controls the masses, she does not win. Instead, the beast hates and kills her. Satan harms even those he uses for evil.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. (Re 17:1; Is 8:7.) An impious parody of Jehovah who "sitteth upon the flood" [Alford]. Also, contrast the "many waters" Re 19:6, "Alleluia." peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues--The "peoples," &c., here mark the universality of the spiritual fornication of the Church. The "tongues" remind us of the original Babel, the confusion of tongues, the beginning of Babylon, and the first commencement of idolatrous apostasy after the flood, as the…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 17:15

• Horn
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Antichrist
• Carry
• Harlot
• Crime; Crimes
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Images
• Palestine
• People
• Revelation of John

Commentaries on Revelation 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings