The Revelation of St John the Divine

The 17th Chapter
     And there came one of the seven Angels, which had the seven vials: and talked with me, saying unto me: come I will show you the judgement of the great whore that sits upon many waters, with whom have committed fornication the kings of the earth, so that the inhabiters of the earth, are drunken with the wine of her fornication. And he carried me away into the wilderness in the spirit. And I saw a woman sit upon a rose colored beast full of names of blasphemy which had ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and rose colour and decked with gold, precious stone, and pearls, and had a cup of gold in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. And in her forehead was a name written, a mystery, great Babylon the mother of whoredom and abominations of the earth. And I saw the wife drunken with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of *Jesu. And when I saw her: I wondered with great marvel. *Jesu: Hebrew for Jesus
     And the Angel said unto me: wherefore marvell you? I will show you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that bears her, which has seven heads, and ten horns. The beast that you See, was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition, and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder (whose names are not written in the book of life from he beginning of the world) when they behold the beast that was and is not. And here is a mind that has wisdom.
     The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits: they are also seven kings. Five are fallen, and one is, and another is not yet come. When he comes he must continue a space. And the beast that was, and is not, is even the eighth, and is one of the seven, and shall go into destruction. And the ten horns which you see, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom, but shall receive power as kings at one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall fight with the lamb, and the lamb shall overcome them: For he is Lord of lords, and king of kings and they that are on his side, are called, and chosen and faithful.
     And he said unto me: the waters which you sawest, where the whore sits, are people, and folk, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns, which you saw upon the beast, are they that shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat their flesh, and burn her with fire. For God has put in their hearts, to fulfil his will, and to do with one consent, for to give her kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God be fulfilled. And the woman which you sawest, is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.

The 18th Chapter
     And after that, I saw another Angel come from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his brightness. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying: Great Babylon is fallen, is fallen: and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of all unclean and hateful birds for all nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and her merchants are waxed rich of the abundance of her pleasures.
     And I heard another voice from heaven, say: come away from her my people, that you be not partakers in her sins, that you receive not of her plagues. For her sins are gone up to heaven, and God has remembered her wickedness. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and give her double according to her works. And pour in double to her in the same cup which she filled unto you. And as much as she glorified herself and lived wantonly so much pour you in for her of punishment and sorrow, for she said in her heart: I sit being a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day, death, and sorrow, and hunger, and she shall be burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God which judges her.
     And the kings of the earth shall beweep her and wail over her, which have committed fornication with her, and have lived wantonly with her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, and shall stand afar off, for fear of her punishment, saying . Alas, Alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city: for at one hour is her judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and wail in themselves, for no man will buy their ware any more, the ware of gold and silver, and precious stones, neither of pearl, and raynes and purple, and scarlet, and all your wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass and of iron, and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.
     And the apples that your soul lusted after are departed from you. And all things which were dainty, and had in price are departed from you, and you shall find them no more. The merchants of these things which were waxed rich, shall stand afar off from her, for fear of the punishment of her, weeping and wailing, and saying: Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in raynes, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stone, and pearls: for at one hour so great riches is come to nought.
     And every ship governor, and all they that occupied ships, and shipmen which work in the sea, stood afar off, and cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying: what city is like unto this great city? And they cast dust on their heads, and cried weeping, and wailing, and said: Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by the reason of her costliness, for at one hour is she made desolate.
     Rejoice over her you heaven, and you holy Apostles and Prophets: for God has given your judgement on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying: with such violence shall that great city Babylon be cast, and shall be found no more. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more in you: and no crafts man, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in you. And the sound of a mill shall be heard no more in you, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride, shall be heard no more in you, for your merchants were the great men of the earth. And with your enchantment were deceived all nations: and in her was found the blood of the Prophets, and of the saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

The 19th Chapter
     And after that, I heard the voice of much people in heaven saying: Alleluya. Salvation and glory and honour and power be ascribed to the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgements, for he has judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of his servants of her hand. And again they said: Alleluya. And smoke rose up for evermore. And the twenty four elders, and the four beasts fell down, and worshipped God that sat on the seat saying: Amen, Alleluya. And a voice came out of the seat, saying: praise our Lord God all you that are his servants, and you that fear him both small and great.
     And I heard the voice of much people, even as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of strong thunderings, saying: Alleluya, for God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife made herself ready. And to her was granted, that she should be arrayed with pure and goodly raynes. For the raynes is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me, happy are they which are called unto the Lambs supper. And he said unto me: these are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet, to worship him. And he said unto me, see you do it not for I am your fellow servant, and one of your brethren, and of them that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse: and he that sat upon him was faithful and true, and in righteousness did judge and make battle. His eyes were as a flame of fire: and on his head were many crowns: and he had a name written, that no man knew but him self. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the word of God. And the warriors which were in heaven, followed him upon white horses, clothed with white and pure raynes: and out of his mouth went out a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the heathen. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he trod the *winefat of fierceness and wrath of almighty God. And has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written: king of kings, and Lord of Lords.*winefat: see above
     And I saw an Angel *stand in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly by the midst of heaven, come and gather your selves to gether unto the supper of the great God that you may eat the flesh of kings, and of high captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all free men and bond men, and of small and great. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their warriors gathered to gether to make battle against him that sat on the horse and against his soldiers.*stand: stande from the original.
     And the beast was taken and with him that false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that received the beasts mark, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast into a pond of fire burning with brimstone: and the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth, and all the fowls were full filled with their flesh.

CONTINUE

God's Truth