New International VersionThen the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
New Living TranslationThen the angel said to me, “The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language.
English Standard VersionAnd the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
Berean Standard BibleThen the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
Berean Literal BibleAnd he says to me, "The waters that you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
King James BibleAnd he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
New King James VersionThen he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
New American Standard BibleAnd he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes, and nations and languages.
NASB 1995And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
NASB 1977And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
Legacy Standard BibleAnd he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.
Amplified BibleThen the angel said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
Christian Standard BibleHe also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
Holman Christian Standard BibleHe also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
American Standard VersionAnd he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Contemporary English VersionThe oceans you saw the prostitute sitting on are crowds of people from all races and languages.
English Revised VersionAnd he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationThe angel also said to me, "The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, crowds, nations, and languages.
Good News TranslationThe angel also said to me, "The waters you saw, on which the prostitute sits, are nations, peoples, races, and languages.
International Standard VersionThe angel also told me, "The bodies of water you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
NET BibleThen the angel said to me, "The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
New Heart English BibleHe said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and languages.
Weymouth New TestamentHe also said to me, "The waters which you have seen, on which the Harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, nations and languages. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
World English BibleHe said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he says to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;
Berean Literal BibleAnd he says to me, "The waters that you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
Young's Literal Translation And he saith to me, 'The waters that thou didst see, where the whore doth sit, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;'
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd he says to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and nations, and tongues.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd he said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and nations and languages.
New American BibleThen he said to me, “The waters that you saw where the harlot lives represent large numbers of peoples, nations, and tongues.
New Revised Standard VersionAnd he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Aramaic Bible in Plain EnglishAnd he said to me, “The waters that you saw, upon which The Harlot sat, are the nations, multitudes, peoples and languages.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentAnd he said to me: The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
Godbey New TestamentAnd he says to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Haweis New TestamentAnd he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, on which the whore sat, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Mace New TestamentThen he said to me, the waters which you saw, where the prostitute has her seat, are the people, the multitude, nations, and provinces.
Weymouth New TestamentHe also said to me, "The waters which you have seen, on which the Harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, nations and languages.
Worrell New TestamentAnd he says to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Worsley New TestamentAnd he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, whereon the harlot sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context The Victory of the Lamb14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.” 15Thenthe angel saidto me,“Thewatersyou saw,wheretheprostitutewas seated,arepeoplesandmultitudesandnationsandtongues.16And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.…
Cross References Isaiah 8:7the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
Isaiah 17:12-13Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. / The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale.
Jeremiah 51:13You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.
Daniel 7:2-3Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea. / Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
Psalm 65:7You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations.
Psalm 93:3-4The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves. / Above the roar of many waters—the mighty breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is majestic.
Ezekiel 26:3therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, O Tyre, I am against you, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.
Ezekiel 32:2“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’
Isaiah 57:20But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
Isaiah 60:5Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you.
Jeremiah 46:7-8Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? / Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’
Matthew 13:47-50Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. / When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away. / So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ...
Luke 21:25There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.
Revelation 13:1Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
Revelation 19:6And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Treasury of Scripture And he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. The waters. Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: Psalm 18:4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. Psalm 65:7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. are. Revelation 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. Revelation 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. Revelation 13:7,8 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations… Jump to Previous AngelArmiesEvilHarlotLanguagesMultitudesNationsPeoplesProstituteSawestSeatedSitSitsSittethTonguesWatersWhoreJump to Next AngelArmiesEvilHarlotLanguagesMultitudesNationsPeoplesProstituteSawestSeatedSitSitsSittethTonguesWatersWhoreRevelation 17 1.A woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand sits upon the beast;5.which is great Babylon, the mother of all abominations.9.The interpretation of the seven heads;12.and the ten horns.14.The victory of the Lamb.16.The punishment of the harlot.Then the angel said to meThis phrase indicates a direct communication from an angel to John, the author of Revelation. Angels often serve as messengers in biblical texts, conveying divine revelations. This interaction underscores the heavenly authority and the importance of the message being delivered. In the context of Revelation, angels frequently guide John through his visions, providing explanations and insights into the symbolic imagery he witnesses. The waters you saw
Waters in biblical prophecy often symbolize chaos, danger, or the masses of humanity. In Revelation, waters can represent the tumultuous and unstable nature of the world. This imagery is consistent with other biblical references, such as inIsaiah 17:12-13, where nations are compared to the roaring of many waters. The waters here are part of a vision involving a prostitute, symbolizing a corrupt and influential power. where the prostitute was seated
The prostitute, often referred to as "Babylon the Great," symbolizes a corrupt and idolatrous system or city that exerts significant influence over the world. Her seating on the waters suggests dominion and control over the peoples and nations represented by the waters. This imagery draws from Old Testament depictions of unfaithfulness and idolatry, such as inJeremiah 51:13, where Babylon is described as dwelling by many waters. are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues
This phrase emphasizes the global influence and reach of the entity symbolized by the prostitute. The use of "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues" highlights the diversity and vastness of those under her sway. It reflects the universal scope of the vision, indicating that the corrupting influence extends across different ethnicities, cultures, and languages. This mirrors the Great Commission inMatthew 28:19, where the gospel is to be preached to all nations, contrasting the spread of corruption with the spread of the gospel. Persons / Places / Events 1. The AngelA divine messenger who provides John with the interpretation of the vision. Angels often serve as intermediaries between God and humans, delivering messages and revelations. 2. The ProstituteSymbolic of Babylon, representing a corrupt and idolatrous system that opposes God. In the context of Revelation, she is depicted as sitting on many waters, indicating her influence over the world. 3. The WatersSymbolic of "peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues," representing the vast and diverse populations under the influence of Babylon. 4. JohnThe apostle and author of Revelation, who receives visions and revelations concerning the end times. 5. BabylonA symbolic representation of a powerful, corrupt, and idolatrous system or city that opposes God and His people. Teaching Points Understanding SymbolismRecognize the use of symbolic language in Revelation. The "waters" represent the vast and diverse populations influenced by worldly systems opposed to God. This helps us discern the spiritual realities behind worldly powers. Global Influence of CorruptionThe imagery of the prostitute seated on many waters highlights the pervasive influence of corrupt systems. Christians are called to be vigilant and discerning, resisting the allure of worldly power and idolatry. Unity in DiversityWhile the waters symbolize diverse peoples and nations, believers are reminded of the call to unity in Christ, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers to form one body in Him. Spiritual WarfareUnderstanding the global reach of Babylon's influence prepares believers for spiritual warfare. We must equip ourselves with the armor of God to stand firm against spiritual deception and corruption. Hope in God's SovereigntyDespite the widespread influence of Babylon, Revelation assures us of God's ultimate victory. Believers can find hope and encouragement in God's sovereign plan and the promise of His kingdom's triumph. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Revelation 17
Who is the Whore of Babylon in biblical prophecy?
In Revelation 17:1-2, the 'great prostitute' is said to corrupt the earth's inhabitants; is there any historical or archaeological evidence linking a specific empire or city to this figure?
Revelation 15:6-7 depicts angels with golden sashes--can this imagery be reconciled with known historical or archaeological findings?
How can an angel physically stand on land and sea simultaneously (Revelation 10:2) without defying known laws of physics?(15) And he said unto me . . .--Better, And he( i.e.,the angel mentioned in Revelation 17:1) saith, &c. The waters on which the harlot sits are explained as "multitudes." We have thus a key to the imagery employed here and elsewhere ( Revelation 13:1). The wild beast and the harlot both draw much of their power from the people. The easily-moved passions or the fickle crowd, its generous, unreasoning impulses, are used by subtle and seductive enemies. "Men never so much need to be theocratic as when they are most democratic," said De Tocqueville. They need to recognise God as their King, then, most when their new discovered strength is likely to be made the tool of unscrupulous ambition. Verse 15. - And he saith unto me. As in ver. 7, these words form the preface to a particular description. Having explained the mystery of the beast, to whom the woman looks for support, the angel now proceeds to unfold the mystery of the harlot herself. The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth; viz. those mentioned in ver. 1. In ver. 7 we are told that the beast carries the woman. Both statements are correct. The beast is the world power, which is found among the "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues." Are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, The fourfold description of the human race (cf. Revelation 5:9, etc.), which, as a whole, serves the beast (cf. Revelation 13:3, 8, 12, 16), and out of which are selected the redeemed ( Revelation 5:9; Revelation 9:9).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek ThenΚαὶ(Kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.[the angel] saidλέγει(legei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004:(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.to me,μοι(moi)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.“TheΤὰ(Ta)Article - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.watersὕδατα(hydata)Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5204:Water. And genitive case, hudatos, etc. From the base of huetos; water literally or figuratively.whereοὗ(hou)Adverb
Strong's 3757:Where, whither, when, in what place. Genitive case of hos as adverb; at which place, i.e. Where.you sawεἶδες(eides)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3708:Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.theἡ(hē)Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.prostituteπόρνη(pornē)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4204:A prostitute; met: an idolatrous community. Feminine of pornos; a strumpet; figuratively, an idolater.seatedκάθηται(kathētai)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2521:To sit, be seated, enthroned; I dwell, reside. From kata; and hemai; to sit down; figuratively, to remain, reside.areεἰσὶν(eisin)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.peoplesλαοὶ(laoi)Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2992:Apparently a primary word; a people.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.multitudesὄχλοι(ochloi)Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3793:From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.nationsἔθνη(ethnē)Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1484:Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.tongues.γλῶσσαι(glōssai)Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1100:The tongue; by implication, a language.
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NT Prophecy: Revelation 17:15 He said to me The waters which (Rev. Re Apocalypse) |
