Revelation 17:5

Revelation 17:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
• New International Version (NIV)The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Context of Revelation 17:5

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. And 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.

Revelation 17:5 word by word

καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον αὐτῆς ὄνομα γεγραμμένον, μυστήριον, Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη, ἡ μήτηρ τῶν πορνῶν καὶ τῶν βδελυγμάτων τῆς γῆς.Read the interlinear

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• foreheadμέτωπονmetopon · foreheadG3359
• a mysteriousμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• was writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• BABYLONΒαβυλώνBabulōn · BabylonG897
• GREATμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• MOTHERμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
• OF PROSTITUTESπόρνηpornē · prostituteG4204
• ABOMINATIONSβδέλυγμαbdelugma · abominationG946
• EARTHγῆgē · earth: planetG1093

Cross-references for Revelation 17:5

• Revelation 7:3“Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
• Isaiah 3:9The expression on their faces testifies against them, and like Sodom they flaunt their sin; they do not conceal it. Woe to them, for they have brought disaster upon themselves.
• Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way.
• 2 Timothy 3:1But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
• Revelation 11:8Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified.
• Revelation 14:8Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”
• Revelation 16:19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.
• Revelation 18:2And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.
• Jeremiah 51:47Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the idols of Babylon. Her entire land will suffer shame, and all her slain will lie fallen within her.
• Revelation 18:9Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.
• Revelation 19:2For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”

Commentaries on Revelation 17:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth - This inscription being written upon her forehead is intended to show that she is not ashamed of her doctrines, but publicly professes and glories in them before the nations: she has indeed a whore's forehead, she has refused to be ashamed. The inscription upon her forehead is exactly the portraiture of the Latin Church. This Church…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And upon her forehead - In a circlet around her forehead. That is, it was made prominent and public, as if written on the forehead in blazing capitals. In Revelation 13:1 it is said that “the name of blasphemy” was written on the “heads” of the beast. The meaning in both places is substantially the same, that it was prominent, and unmistakable. See the notes on that verse. Compare the note on Revelation 14:1. Was a name written - A title, or something…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5In symbolic language, John likely referred to Rome (see Revelation 17:9) as BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES. Babylon symbolized the world's idolatries and evil acts. As the MOTHER, she produced followers who imitated her behavior. Rome, like Babylon, worshipped false gods and led other nations into unfaithfulness and idol worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. upon ... forehead ... name--as harlots usually had. What a contrast to "Holiness to the Lord," inscribed on the miter on the high priest's forehead! mystery--implying a spiritual fact heretofore hidden, and incapable of discovery by mere reason, but now revealed. As the union of Christ and the Church is a "great mystery" (a spiritual truth of momentous interest, once hidden, now revealed, Ep 5:31, 32), so the Church conforming to the world and thereby…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 17:5

• Horn
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• Antichrist
• Carry
• Forehead
• Harlot
• Babylon in the New Testament
• Crime; Crimes
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Mystery

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