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

3So he carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness, and there I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4Now the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality. On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.” 6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. I was greatly astounded when I saw her. 7But the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

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

Cross-references for Revelation 17:5

• Revelation 7:3“Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
• Isaiah 3:9The look on their faces testifies to their guilt; like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. Too bad for them! For they bring disaster on themselves.
• Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,
• 2 Timothy 3:1But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
• Revelation 11:8Their corpses will lie in the street of the great city that is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified.
• Revelation 14:8A second angel followed the first, declaring: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her immoral passion.”
• Revelation 16:19The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath.
• Revelation 18:2He shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast.
• Jeremiah 51:47“So the time will certainly come when I will punish the idols of Babylon. Her whole land will be put to shame. All her mortally wounded will collapse in her midst.
• Revelation 18:9Then the kings of the earth who committed immoral acts with her and lived in sensual luxury with her will weep and wail for her when they see the smoke from the fire that burns her up.
• Revelation 19:2because his judgments are true and just. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and has avenged the blood of his servants poured out by her own hands!”

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