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Revelation 17:4

in Revelation 17

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,

KJV

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

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This verse in Revelation 17

Commentary

15 notes on this verse

A commentator

Cyprian

Treatise II. On the Dress of Virgins 12 · Written before 258.

Showy adornments and clothing and the allurements of beauty are not becoming in any except prostitutes and shameless women, and of none, almost, is the dress more costly than those whose modesty is cheap. Thus in holy Scripture, by which the Lord has wished us to be instructed and admonished, a harlot city is described, beautifully attired and adorned, and with her adornments, and rather because of those very adornments, destined to perish. … Let chaste and modest virgins shun the attire of the unchaste, the clothing of the immodest, the insignia of brothels, the adornment of harlots.

This site's exposition

sitting on a scarlet beast

on Revelation 17:3-5

In the wilderness John sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, the beast of 13:1. She is dressed in purple and scarlet, yet she holds a golden cup full of abominations. The angel explains her name, BABYLON THE GREAT, from verse 7.

This site's exposition

dressed in purple and scarlet

She is dressed in purple and scarlet, the colors of the imperial robe. Purple was also the robe put on Christ in mockery before the cross.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

And "the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, purple" for the kingdom, and "scarlet" for the shedding of the many holy bloods. "Adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls." As a queen fittingly the text says "adorned" about her, with royal adornment. "Holding …

A commentator

Ticonius

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:4 · Written before 390.

proposed

The purple symbolizes the pretense and deceit of her false rule, and the scarlet indicates the bloody disposition of her impiety.… [The jewels] symbolize all the allurements of that which deceitly claims to be true.… And then he discloses what is really on the inside …

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:4 · Written before 614.

proposed

She is clothed in scarlet and purple, for these are symbols of her dominion and rule over all. Therefore, she is decorated with precious stones and pearls. The "cup" indicates the sweetness of evil deeds before they are tasted, and it is gold because such …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet. In purple is shown the pretense of feigned rule, in scarlet the bloody habit of impiety is demonstrated.

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. That is, with all the allurements of simulated truth. What is, in fact, within this beauty, he explains, saying:
7 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

Having a golden cup, etc. A golden cup full of impurities is hypocrisy, because hypocrites outwardly appear to people as just, but inside they are full of all filth. For what poison is in gold, this is the beast hidden under the guise of the …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

And the woman was arrayed - With the utmost pomp and magnificence. In purple and scarlet - These were the colours of the imperial habit: the purple, in times of peace; and the scarlet, in times of war.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Rome was governed by kings, consuls, tribunes, decemviri, dictators, emperors who were pagan, and emperors who were Christian. Five of these were extinct when this prophecy was written; one was then in being, that is, the pagan emperor; and the other, that is, the Christian emperor, was yet to come,

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

The Lord alone by His coming can make the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. The "purple" is the badge of empire; even as in mockery it was put on our Lord. decked--literally, "gilded." stones--Greek, "stone." filthiness--A, B, and ANDREAS read, "the filthy (impure) things."

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication - This strikingly represents the most pompous and costly manner in which the Latin Church has held forth to the nations the rites and ceremonies of its idolatrous and corrupt worship.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour - On the nature of the scarlet color, see the notes on Rev 17:3. The purple color - πορφύρα porphura - was obtained from a species of shellfish found on the coasts of the Mediterranean, which yielded a reddish-purple dye, much prized by the ancients. Robes dyed in that color were commonly worn by persons of rank and wealth, Mar 15:17, Mar 15:20; Luk 16:19. The purple color contains more blue than the crimson, though the limits are not very accurately defined, and the words are sometimes interchanged. Thus the mock robe put on the Saviour is called in Mar 15:17, Mar 15:20, πορφύραν porphuran - “purple,” and in Mat 27:28, κοκκίνην kokkinēn - “crimson.” On the applicability of this to the papacy, see the notes on Rev 17:3. And decked with gold - After the manner of an harlot, with rich jewelry. And precious stones - Sparkling diamonds, etc. And pearls - Also a much-valued female ornament. Compare the notes on Mat 7:6; Mat 13:46. Having a golden cup in her hand - As if to entice lovers. See the notes on Rev 14:8. Full of abominations - Of abominable things; of things suited to excite abhorrence and disgust; things unlawful and forbidden. The word, in the Scriptures, is commonly used to denote the impurities and abominations of idolatry. See the notes on Dan 9:27. The meaning here is, that it seemed to be a cup filled with wine, but it was in fact a cup full of all abominable drugs, leading to all kinds of corruption. […]

The words behind it

31 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Jeremiah 51:7Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.10 worksRevelation 18:16saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!10 worksRevelation 19:2For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”8 worksRevelation 18:12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;7 worksRevelation 21:21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.7 worksLamentations 1:9Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!5 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Thessalonians 2:3–10Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.5 worksRevelation 18:6–7Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.4 worksRevelation 14:8Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”4 worksEzekiel 24:13Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.4 worksDaniel 11:38And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.4 worksRevelation 17:3And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.4 worksEzekiel 24:11Set the empty pot on its coals until it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt within; its rust will be consumed.3 works1 Kings 14:24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. They imitated all the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.3 worksHabakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”3 worksEzra 9:11that You gave through Your servants the prophets, saying: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the impurity of its peoples and the abominations with which they have filled it from end to end.2 worksHosea 9:10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.2 worksDaniel 2:32The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Revelation 19:2

    For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her…

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 32:43

      Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries…

    • Revelation 6:10

      And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”

    • Revelation 16:5–7

      And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.

    • Revelation 18:20

      Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.

    • Deuteronomy 32:35

      Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”

  • Through

    Lamentations 1:9

    Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 32:29

      If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.

    • Isaiah 47:7

      You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 51:7

    Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 14:8

      Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
Revelation: the study guide →Read Revelation 17 →
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:4; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Cyprian, Treatise II. On the Dress of Virgins 12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:4.

Read on in Revelation 17 →