5
andκαὶonἐπὶherαὐτῆςforeheadτὸ μέτωπονa nameὄνομαwritten,γεγραμμένονa mystery:μυστήριον“BabylonΒαβυλὼνthe great,ἡ μεγάληthe motherἡ μήτηρof prostitutesτῶν πορνῶνandκαὶof the abominationsτῶν βδελυγμάτωνof the earth.”τῆς γῆς
Revelation 17:5
Study it in the app“and on her forehead a name written, a mystery: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.””
With the Greek beneath
Revelation 17:5, word by word
- foreheadμέτωπονmetōpon
forehead
Forehead.
Where else “metōpon” appears- a nameὄνομαonoma
name
The word by which a person or thing is called, which often says who they are.
Where else “onoma” appears- writtenγεγραμμένονgegrammenon
write
To set down words in writing: letters, laws, books.
Where else “gegrammenon” appears- a mysteryμυστήριονmystērion
mystery
Mystery: what was hidden and God makes known.
Where else “mystērion” appears- “BabylonΒαβυλὼνBabylōn
Babylon
See it on the mapWhere else “Babylōn” appears- the greatμεγάληmegalē
greater
Of greater importance or rank than the rest.
Where else “megalē” appears- the motherμήτηρmētēr
mother figure
One who is like a mother to someone.
Where else “mētēr” appears- of prostitutesπορνῶνpornōn
prostitute
Prostitute.
Where else “pornōn” appears- of the abominationsβδελυγμάτωνbdelygmatōn
abomination
Abomination, something detestable in God's eyes.
Where else “bdelygmatōn” appears- of the earthγῆςgēs
earth
The whole earth under heaven, where human beings live.
Where else “gēs” appears
Translation note
“A mystery”: it may be part of the name, or indicate that it is a symbolic name.
Places in this verse
Babylon
Today: Babylon ruins, near Hillah, Iraq
A great city on the Euphrates River, in present-day Iraq, about 53 miles (85 km) south of Baghdad.
In its land the languages were confused at Babel (Gen 11:9). Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took the people captive there (2 Kgs 25:1-11). Daniel lived there (Dan 1:1-6).
The context
4And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality,
5 · This verse (above)
6And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I was amazed with great amazement.