God’s Word Translation
Revelation 17:7
7The angel asked me, “Why are you surprised? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her.
Revelation 17:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
Context of Revelation 17:7
5A name was written on her forehead. The name was Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things of the Earth. 6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and of those who testify about Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her. The angel asked me, “Why are you surprised? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her. 8“You saw the beast which once was, is no longer, and will come from the bottomless pit and go to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life when the world was created, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again. 9“In this situation a wise mind is needed. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is sitting.
Read all of Revelation 17Revelation 17:7 word by word
καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· διὰ τί ἐθαύμασας; ἐγὼ ἐρῶ σοι τὸ μυστήριον τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τοῦ θηρίου τοῦ βαστάζοντος αὐτὴν τοῦ ἔχοντος τὰς ἑπτὰ κεφαλὰς καὶ τὰ δέκα κέρατα.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the angelὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- said untoλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- Whereforeδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- didst thou marvelθαυμάζωthaumazō · to marvelG2296
- will tellἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- the mysteryμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
- of the womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- of the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
- that carriethβαστάζωbastazō · to carryG941
- herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- whichτίςtis · which?G5101
- hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- theκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
- sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
- tenδέκαdeka · tenG1176
- hornsκέραςkeras · hornG2768
Cross-references for Revelation 17:7
Commentaries on Revelation 17:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel! I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carried her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns - The apostle was greatly astonished, as well he might be, at the woman's being drunk with the blood of the saints, when the beast which carried her abounded with sacred appellations, such as holy, most holy, most Christian, sacred, most sacred. The angel undertakes to explain to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? - He was doubtless struck with the appearance of John as he stood fixed in astonishment. The question asked him, “why” he wondered, was designed to show him that the cause of his surprise would be removed or lessened, for that he would proceed so to explain this that he might have a correct view of its design. I will tell thee the mystery of the woman - On the word “mystery,” see the notes on…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-14Verses 7-14 The beast on which the woman sat was, and is not, and yet is. It was a seat of idolatry and persecution, and is not; not in the ancient form, which was pagan: yet it is; it is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form. It would deceive into stupid and blind submission all the inhabitants of the earth within its influence, except the remnant of the elect. This beast was seven heads, seven mountains, the seven hills…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The angel helps John understand the mystery in response to his amazement (Revelation 17:8–14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-18As Re 16:12 stated generally the vial judgment about to be poured on the harlot, Babylon's power, as the seventeenth and eighteen chapters give the same in detail, so the nineteenth chapter gives in detail the judgment on the beast and the false prophet, summarily alluded to in Re 16:13-15, in connection with the Lord's coming. 1. unto me--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit. many--So A. But B, "the many waters" (Jr 51:13); Re 17:15, below, explains…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 17:7
In the dictionaries
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
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