Revelation 17 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Then one of the seven angels who carried the seven bowls came over and said to me, "Come here -- I'll show you the sentencing of the notorious prostitute who sits over many waters.

The kings of the earth slept with her, and the people of the earth got drunk on the wine of her sexual corruption."

Then the angel carried me away in a vision into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast covered in names that insulted God, with seven heads and ten horns.

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with disgusting things -- the filth of her sexual corruption.

On her forehead was written a name -- a mystery: "Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and of the Disgusting Things of the Earth."

I could see that the woman was drunk -- drunk on the blood of those set apart for God, the blood of those who testified about Jesus. When I saw her, I was completely stunned.

The angel said to me, "Why are you so stunned? I'll explain the mystery of the woman and the beast she rides -- the one with seven heads and ten horns.

The beast you saw once existed, does not exist now, but is about to come up out of the abyss -- and then go to its destruction. The people living on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life since the creation of the world will be amazed when they see the beast, because it once existed, does not exist now, and yet will come.

This calls for a mind with wisdom: The seven heads represent seven hills where the woman sits. They also represent seven kings.

Five of them have fallen, one currently rules, and the last one hasn't come yet -- but when he does, he'll only stay for a short time.

The beast that once existed but no longer does -- he is an eighth king, yet he belongs to the seven, and he is heading for destruction.

The ten horns you saw represent ten kings who haven't received their kingdoms yet but will receive authority to rule alongside the beast for one hour.

They are all united in one purpose -- to hand over their power and authority to the beast.

They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings -- and those with him are the called, the chosen, and the faithful."

Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, represent peoples, crowds, nations, and languages.

The beast and the ten horns you saw -- they will turn on the prostitute. They will strip her bare, devour her flesh, and burn what's left with fire.

Because God put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by agreeing together to hand over their royal authority to the beast -- until God's words are fulfilled.

The woman you saw represents the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."