Revelation 17:5
in Revelation 17And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
KJV
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
⋯
This verse in Revelation 17
Commentary
11 notes on this verseNor does he want to openly say that the Roman empire must be destroyed, which those who rule it regard as eternal. Therefore, according to the Apocalypse of John, on the forehead of the purple-clad prostitute, the name of blasphemy is written, that is, the eternal Rome. For if he had openly and boldly said that the Antichrist would not come unless the Roman empire was first destroyed, it would have seemed like a just cause for persecution to then arise against the Church in the east.
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
a mysterious name was written
The name on her forehead answers the Father's name on the foreheads of the 144,000 at 14:1. Jerome read the name as eternal Rome. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown widen it to an apostate Christendom, as Israel once became a harlot as a whole.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And it is said to have been "written" also upon "her forehead", as one says in some inscription, who she was; and that it is "Babylon", the "mother of prostitutes", "Babylon" because of the turmoil and confusion in her and the persecutions of the saints; …
The Medieval Church2 voices
And on her forehead was a name written, Mystery, etc. This corruption is immediately shown on the very face to be the nurse of vices, but because it is discerned only by prudent reasoning, being most ornately adorned, it is indicated to be a mystical …
The writing on the forehead indicates the shamelessness of the fullness of sins and of the confusion of the heart. She is mother because for those cities ruled by her she is the teacher of their spiritual fornication, giving birth to transgressions that are loathsome …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This catholic and apostolical Roman church is the head of the world, the mother of all believers, the faithful interpreter of God and mistress of all churches." But God somewhat varies the style.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And upon her forehead was a name written,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And 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 Rev 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 Rev 14:1. Was a name written - A title, or something that would properly indicate her character.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The correspondence of syllables and accents in Greek is striking; "He porne kai to therion; He numphe kai to arnion." "The whore and the beast; the Bride and the Lamb." of harlots--Greek, "of the harlots and of the abominations." Not merely Rome, but Christendom as a whole, even as formerly Israel as a whole, has become a harlot.
And 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 is, as Bishop Newton well expresses it, A Mystery of iniquity. This woman is also called Babylon the Great; she is the exact antitype of the ancient Babylon in her idolatry and cruelty, but the ancient city called Babylon is only a drawing of her in miniature. This is indeed Babylon The Great. “She affects the style and title of our Holy Mother, the Church; but she is, in truth, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.”
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μέτωπον | metopon | forehead | G3359 → | 8 times |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of her | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὄνομα | onoma | a name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| γεγραμμένον, | gegrammenon | written, | G1125 → | 189 times |
| μυστήριον, | musterion | a mystery: | G3466 → | 27 times |
| Βαβυλὼν | babulon | Babylon | G897 → | 12 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μεγάλη, | megale | Great, | G3173 → | 243 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μήτηρ | meter | mother | G3384 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πορνῶν | pornon | prostitutes | G4204 → | 12 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βδελυγμάτων | bdelugmaton | abominations | G946 → | 6 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆς. | ges | earth. | G1093 → | 248 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
μέτωπονforehead
metoponG3359 →8 times
αὐτῆςof her
autesG846 →5565 times
ὄνομαa name
onomaG3686 →227 times
γεγραμμένον,written,
gegrammenonG1125 →189 times
μυστήριον,a mystery:
musterionG3466 →27 times
ΒαβυλὼνBabylon
babulonG897 →12 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
μεγάλη,Great,
megaleG3173 →243 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
μήτηρmother
meterG3384 →
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
πορνῶνprostitutes
pornonG4204 →12 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
βδελυγμάτωνabominations
bdelugmatonG946 →6 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
γῆς.earth.
gesG1093 →248 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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 19:2For 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…
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?”
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Through
Revelation 18:2And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable…
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.”
- Jeremiah 51:8
Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.
- Jeremiah 51:37
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.
- Jeremiah 50:39–40
So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.
- Revelation 14:8
Through
Revelation 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.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 51:7–8
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.
- Jeremiah 51:7–8
Through
Revelation 16:19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His…
it leads to
- Revelation 17:18
And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
- Revelation 17:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About Revelation
This page draws on 10 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 17:5; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Letter 121, Chapter 11; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation.