Revelation 17:18 kjv
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Revelation 17:18 nkjv
And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."
Revelation 17:18 niv
The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
Revelation 17:18 esv
And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth."
Revelation 17:18 nlt
And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world."
Revelation 17 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 17:1-7 | "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot... with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication..." | Introduction to the woman/harlot |
| Rev 18:10 | "Alas, alas, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city!" | Babylon identified as the great city |
| Rev 18:16-19 | "Woe, woe, the great city... in one hour all this wealth has been laid waste!" | Mourning over the fall of the great city |
| Rev 14:8 | "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." | Announcing Babylon's fall and its widespread influence |
| Rev 11:8 | "And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that prophetically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." | "Great city" sometimes refers to Jerusalem too |
| Isa 1:21 | "How the faithful city has become a harlot, she who was full of justice!" | Jerusalem portrayed as a harlot |
| Ezek 16:32-34 | "You adulterous wife, who prefers strangers to her husband! Men give gifts to all harlots..." | Israel/Jerusalem depicted as an unfaithful harlot |
| Jer 2:20 | "For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your bonds; and you said, ‘I will not serve!’ Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down as a harlot." | Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness |
| Hos 1:2 | "...go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry..." | Symbolism of harlotry for spiritual idolatry |
| Nahum 3:4 | "Because of the countless harlotries of the harlot, graceful and a mistress of sorceries..." | Judgment on Nineveh as a harlot city |
| Dan 2:37-38 | "You, O king, are the king of kings... wherever the children of man dwell... He has given them into your hand." | God giving dominion to an earthly kingdom |
| Isa 14:12 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!" | Prophecy against Babylonian power |
| Hab 2:5-6 | "Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who does not stay at home; he enlarges his appetite like Sheol... all these take up their taunt against him..." | Empires greedy for dominion |
| Jer 50:23 | "How the hammer of the whole earth is cut down and broken! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!" | Babylon as a dominating world power |
| Rev 13:7 | "Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation." | The beast's global authority, connected to the harlot |
| Rev 17:15 | "The waters that you saw, where the harlot is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages." | Clarification of "dominion" over vast populations |
| Rev 17:2 | "with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the dwellers on earth were made drunk." | Harlot's influence over world leaders |
| Gen 10:8-10 | "Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man... The beginning of his kingdom was Babel..." | Origins of Babel/Babylon as a world power |
| Zech 5:7-8 | "And behold, a leaden disc was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in it! And he said, 'This is Wickedness.'" | Symbolic representation of spiritual wickedness/apostasy, moved to Shinar (Babylon) |
| Rev 21:2 | "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." | Contrast to the harlot city; the true Bride |
Revelation 17 verses
Revelation 17 18 Meaning
Revelation 17:18 reveals the identity of "the great harlot" seen earlier in the vision: she is "the great city" that exercises profound authority and influence over the world's rulers. This verse explicitly connects the symbolic figure of the harlot (representing spiritual unfaithfulness and worldly corruption) with a powerful, oppressive urban center that wields global dominion. It sets the stage for the dramatic downfall of this corrupt system, identified as "Babylon the Great."
Revelation 17 18 Context
Revelation 17 is a pivotal chapter, interpreting the preceding visions. Following the seven bowls of wrath, an angel offers to show John the judgment of the "great harlot" (Rev 17:1). John sees her seated on "many waters," and upon a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, adorned lavishly, holding a gold cup full of abominations, and drunken with the blood of the saints (Rev 17:1-6). The angel begins to explain the mystery (Rev 17:7ff), describing the beast, the horns, and finally, in verse 18, directly identifies the woman with a specific powerful entity: "the great city which has dominion over the kings of the earth." This context reveals the harlot not just as spiritual fornication but as its embodiment within a tangible, powerful, and oppressive socio-political system that holds sway globally. Historically, the audience would immediately associate such characteristics with the Roman Empire, which held dominion over their world at the time John was writing.
Revelation 17 18 Word analysis
And the woman (καὶ ἡ γυνή - kai hē gynē): The Greek term gynē simply means "woman." Here, it points back to the figure introduced at the beginning of the chapter: "the great harlot" (Rev 17:1). She is a symbolic representation, not a literal female individual. She embodies a spiritual, moral, and ultimately institutional identity.
whom you saw (ἣν εἶδες - hēn eides): The phrase hēn eides (whom you saw) explicitly connects this identification directly to John's vision in Rev 17:1. It emphasizes that the angel is now providing the interpretative key to what John has already witnessed, confirming the specific subject of discussion.
is the great city (ἐστιν ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη - estin hē polis hē megalē): Estin means "is" or "it is." Polis is "city," and megalē is "great." This is a crucial identification, transforming the abstract "harlot" into a concrete, geographically and politically definable entity. The term "great city" is a significant epithet used elsewhere in Revelation for Babylon (Rev 18:10, 16, 18, 19) and even metaphorically for Jerusalem (Rev 11:8). In this context, it unequivocally refers to the worldly capital of rebellion.
which has dominion (ἡ ἔχουσα βασιλείαν - hē echousa basileian): Echousa means "having" or "possessing" (present active participle). Basileian typically means "kingdom," "kingship," or "royal power/dominion." Here, it signifies the comprehensive control, sovereignty, or governmental authority this "great city" exercises. It's not mere influence, but actual, pervasive power.
over the kings of the earth (ἐπὶ τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς - epi tōn basileōn tēs gēs): Basileōn means "kings" (genitive plural). Tēs gēs means "of the earth." This phrase emphasizes the global reach and absolute nature of her power. These "kings of the earth" are worldly rulers who either align with, submit to, or are corrupted by the great city's influence, often engaging in her "fornication" (Rev 17:2). It points to the worldwide scope of this entity's influence and opposition to God's reign.
"The woman... is the great city": This phrase establishes a direct equivalency, showing that the spiritual symbol (the harlot) finds its manifestation and power base in a specific worldly city. The harlotry, spiritual rebellion, and idolatry that the woman represents are incarnated and exercised through this powerful urban center.
"great city which has dominion over the kings of the earth": This part highlights the unparalleled scope of this entity's authority. It's not just a city but an imperial, globally dominating force. The "dominion over kings" means it influences or controls their policies, trade, and even religious practices, fostering a system contrary to God's kingdom.
Revelation 17 18 Bonus section
- The Harlot vs. The City: While distinct, the "woman" and the "city" represent two aspects of the same reality. The "woman" portrays the moral, spiritual, and ideological character of the entity—its harlotry, idolatry, and anti-God nature. The "city" denotes its physical, political, and economic manifestation—its geographical location as a seat of power, its immense wealth, and its imperial rule. They are intrinsically linked: the harlot's corrupt spirit operates through the physical power of the city.
- "Babylon the Great": Although the name "Babylon" isn't explicitly used in this exact verse, Revelation 17:5 already titles the woman "BABYLON THE GREAT," and chapters 18-19 confirm that "the great city" being judged is indeed "Babylon." Thus, Rev 17:18 directly identifies the harlot/woman as the embodiment of "Babylon the Great," the symbolic antagonist of God's people and ultimate global opposing system.
- Contrast with the Bride: The "great harlot city" stands in stark contrast to the "New Jerusalem," described in Revelation 21, which is portrayed as the "Bride" of Christ, pure and holy. This highlights the ultimate cosmic battle between spiritual apostasy and God's divine purity, between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light, embodied in opposing symbolic cities.
Revelation 17 18 Commentary
Revelation 17:18 serves as the explicit interpretative key to the enigmatic figure of the great harlot, unequivocally identifying her as "the great city" that exercises unparalleled global dominion. This "great city" symbolizes a powerful, anti-God political, economic, and spiritual system. Historically, this points primarily to imperial Rome during John's time, infamous for its immense power, widespread idolatry (e.g., emperor worship), vast wealth derived from global trade, and violent persecution of Christians. Yet, beyond historical Rome, the description allows for an eschatological interpretation, representing any ultimate worldwide, corrupt system that embodies spiritual harlotry, fosters economic injustice, and persecutes God's people throughout history and especially in the end times. The identification confirms that God's judgment is not arbitrary but targets the very heart of human rebellion against His authority, manifest in a system that arrogantly claims sovereignty over all earthly powers.