Revelation 17:17 kjv
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Revelation 17:17 nkjv
For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
Revelation 17:17 niv
For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God's words are fulfilled.
Revelation 17:17 esv
for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
Revelation 17:17 nlt
For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled.
Revelation 17 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it | God's sovereignty over rulers' hearts |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives | God controls human authorities and timing |
| Ps 33:11 | The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all | God's unchangeable purpose prevails |
| Isa 46:10 | Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet | God declares and ensures the fulfillment of His plan |
| Phil 2:13 | for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good | God working in people's will/hearts |
| Rom 9:16 | So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy | God's sovereign choice and action |
| Rom 9:18 | So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills | God's sovereign control over hearts (even hardening) |
| Acts 2:23 | this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge | God's predetermined plan, even for evil actions |
| Gen 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good | God turns evil intentions into good |
| Isa 10:5-7 | Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hand is my fury! ... | God uses wicked nations as instruments of His wrath |
| Rev 1:3 | Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed | Importance of God's prophetic words |
| Rev 10:7 | But that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel | God's mystery/prophecy completed at the end |
| Dan 7:26 | But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away | The beast's power is temporary and destined for an end |
| Dan 9:24 | Seventy weeks are decreed... to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity | God's precise timetable for end-time prophecies |
| John 19:28 | After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the | God's plan being fulfilled, nothing left undone |
| 2 Thes 2:11 | Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what | God permits/orchestrates deception for judgment |
| Ez 28:2 | Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because | Pride leading to judgment as God allows/uses |
| John 19:30 | When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he | Christ's mission and prophecies fulfilled |
| Acts 4:27-28 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant | God's hand determines all things, even opposition |
| Lam 3:37-38 | Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is | God's absolute control over all events |
| Jer 25:9 | Behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and | God raises up nations for judgment |
| Rev 17:12 | The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received kingdom | Kings existing before the Beast's full revelation |
| Rev 17:13 | These are of one mind and give over their power and authority to the beast | Direct precursor: Kings uniting to empower beast |
| Rev 17:16 | And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute | The future action: Kings and Beast turn on Babylon |
Revelation 17 verses
Revelation 17 17 Meaning
Revelation 17:17 unveils a profound truth about God's ultimate sovereignty. It declares that God Himself orchestrates the actions of the ten kings and the beast, putting it into their hearts to fulfill His divine purpose. These kings, who previously supported the harlot, will collectively agree to surrender their own kingly power to the beast for a set period. This unified action, stemming from their own volition yet divinely influenced, is predestined to occur precisely "until God's words are fulfilled," signifying that all these events serve a higher prophetic design, leading to the completion of God's redemptive plan and judgment.
Revelation 17 17 Context
Revelation 17 focuses on the symbolic figures of the great harlot, "Babylon the Great," and the scarlet beast. The harlot represents the corrupt religious, economic, and political systems that oppose God and persecute His people. The beast with seven heads and ten horns symbolizes the ultimate human authority empowered by Satan, culminating in the antichrist kingdom. The ten horns are identified as ten kings or kingdoms that will eventually emerge. Verses 12 and 13 explain that these ten kings will receive authority for a brief time and unite, giving their power to the beast. Revelation 17:16 then reveals a surprising twist: these same ten horns and the beast will turn against the harlot, destroying her. Verse 17 acts as the divine explanation for this turn of events, elucidating why these kings, who seemingly embody evil, will execute judgment upon another embodiment of evil (the harlot). It emphasizes that this intricate interplay of powers is not random or merely human politicking, but directly guided by God's overarching purpose to fulfill His prophetic "words" leading to the final defeat of His enemies.
Word Analysis
- For (γὰρ - gar): A particle indicating causation or explanation. It introduces the divine reason behind the events described in the preceding verse (the kings turning on the harlot). It signifies that what follows is God's direct agency.
- God (ὁ Θεὸς - ho Theos): Emphasizes the supreme, divine Actor. This highlights the absolute sovereignty of the one true God, over and above any earthly power or wicked intention.
- has put it into their hearts (ἔδωκεν εἰς τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν - edōken eis tas kardias autōn): Literally "has given into their hearts." "Has given" (ἔδωκεν - edōken) is an aorist active indicative, implying a completed action with lasting effect. It signifies a direct, active divine influence or deposit into the inner being ("hearts" - καρδίας), which in biblical terms represents the center of thought, will, and emotion. This is not coercion against their will, but rather a divinely-guided alignment of their wills with His plan, even as they pursue their own wicked aims.
- to carry out (ποιῆσαι - poiēsai): An aorist infinitive, meaning "to do" or "to make." It shows the intended outcome of what God has put in their hearts – to perform a specific action.
- His purpose (τὴν γνώμην αὐτοῦ - tēn gnōmēn autou): "His purpose" or "His mind/will/decision." "Γνώμην (gnōmē)" signifies a deliberate judgment, a settled mind, a decisive intention. This stresses that God has a clear, predefined objective that He intends to accomplish.
- by agreeing (καὶ ποιῆσαι μίαν γνώμην - kai poiēsai mian gnōmēn): Literally "and to make one purpose/mind." This highlights the unity and consensus among the kings. They will voluntarily converge on a shared goal, which, though evil from their perspective, simultaneously serves God's plan.
- to hand over (δοῦναι - dounai): Another aorist infinitive, meaning "to give" or "to grant." It specifies the substance of their collective decision – the surrendering of power.
- their royal authority (τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῶν - tēn basileian autōn): "Their kingdom/royalty." It refers to their sovereign power, their sphere of rule. This transfer of authority is a crucial step in the unfolding end-time scenario, centralizing power under the beast.
- to the beast (τῷ θηρίῳ - tō thēriō): Refers to the antichrist figure, the satanically empowered ultimate human kingdom described in Revelation 13 and 17. The kings give their independent authority to him, consolidating power.
- until (ἄχρι - achri): A crucial temporal particle meaning "until" or "up to the time that." It denotes a specific, divinely ordained boundary or culmination point. The events are not open-ended but finite.
- God's words (τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ - ta rhēmata tou Theou): "God's pronouncements," "God's sayings," or "God's decrees." "Ρήματα (rhēmata)" refers to specific utterances or declarations, often carrying the weight of prophetic pronouncements or divine decrees. These are the fixed, certain prophecies that must unfold.
- are fulfilled (τελεσθήσονται - telesthēsontai): Future passive indicative, meaning "they will be completed," "they will be finished," or "they will be accomplished." This assures the absolute certainty and ultimate completion of all that God has foretold.
Words-group Analysis:
- "For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose": This phrase directly affirms divine sovereignty over the wills and actions of wicked rulers. It's a paradox: God influences their hearts while their choices remain their own, demonstrating God's ability to integrate human agency into His grand design without forcing it, making evil serve His good purpose.
- "by agreeing to hand over their royal authority to the beast": This describes the specific action stemming from their divinely-influenced (but still self-chosen) unity. It speaks of a consolidation of global political power, voluntarily surrendered to the beast, marking a pivotal moment in the end times when antichrist gains supreme authority.
- "until God's words are fulfilled": This temporal clause provides the ultimate limit and purpose for the events described. It asserts that every action, even those driven by evil, is meticulously woven into God's predetermined prophetic tapestry and will cease precisely when His appointed decrees reach their consummation.
Revelation 17 17 Bonus section
- Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: This verse showcases a profound theological paradox. God "puts it into their hearts," signifying divine influence and foreordination, yet the kings "agree" and "hand over," indicating their active and responsible choice. God does not override their wills but rather, through means mysterious to us, orchestrates their independent choices to serve His purposes, demonstrating that even human sin and rebellion fall within the bounds of His overarching plan.
- The Teleological Nature of Prophecy: The phrase "until God's words are fulfilled" emphasizes the goal-oriented (teleological) nature of biblical prophecy. All events, particularly the chaotic and destructive ones preceding Christ's return, are moving towards a divinely predetermined end point, fulfilling God's ancient declarations. This reinforces the certainty and trustworthiness of God's Word.
- The Ultimate Unveiling: The Greek term for "fulfilled" (τελεσθήσονται - telesthēsontai) can also imply "to be brought to an end" or "to be completed." This suggests that once God's final decrees for the current age are accomplished, the era of human rebellion and beastly power will cease, paving the way for the inauguration of God's eternal kingdom.
Revelation 17 17 Commentary
Revelation 17:17 is a cornerstone verse in understanding God's absolute control over all of history, including the actions of His adversaries. It asserts that the shocking betrayal and destruction of the harlot (Babylon) by the beast and the ten kings (described in Rev 17:16) is not a random geopolitical shift or a result of their own unguided malice alone, but a direct fulfillment of God's will. God instigates this specific decision and unity among these kings. Their "one purpose" to empower the beast, though motivated by their own evil agendas (such as seizing total global power and eradicating religious rivals), perfectly aligns with and serves God's greater design for judgment against the harlot. This underscores that evil, however powerful it appears, can only operate within the boundaries and for the purposes ordained by the Almighty. The phrase "until God's words are fulfilled" sets a precise duration, indicating that even the reign of the beast and its kings, and their temporary success, is part of a timed, unalterable prophecy that leads inevitably to their own ultimate destruction and the triumph of God's Kingdom. This offers profound comfort: even amidst chaos and apparent triumph of evil, God is not merely reacting but actively directing history to its predetermined, righteous conclusion.