Revelation 17:4 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:
Revelation 17:4 nkjv
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
Revelation 17:4 niv
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.
Revelation 17:4 esv
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
Revelation 17:4 nlt
The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.
Revelation 17 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Is 1:18 | “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall become like wool.” | Scarlet symbolizing sin/corruption. |
| Jer 51:7 | "Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunk..." | Golden cup linked to Babylon's influence. |
| Ezek 16:30 | "How sick is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, seeing all these things you did, the deeds of a brazen prostitute." | Spiritual harlotry and prostitution imagery for infidelity. |
| Dan 5:7, 16 | Belshazzar’s use of purple as a high honor in Babylon. | Purple associated with Babylonian royalty/luxury. |
| Ezek 27:7, 16 | Tyre's lavish clothing with purple and embroidered linen, as a great commercial power. | Wealthy nations adorned with purple/fine materials. |
| Prov 31:22 | "She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple." | Purple, though here, indicates a virtuous wife's status (contrast). |
| 1 Tim 2:9 | "...women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire." | Warning against excessive outward adornment. |
| Rev 18:3 | "...all the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality..." | The harlot's corrupting influence on nations. |
| Rev 18:12, 16 | Describing Babylon’s rich trade in “gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls...fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet.” | Parallel description of Babylon's material wealth. |
| Rev 21:18-21 | Describing New Jerusalem’s streets of pure gold, walls of jasper, foundations adorned with all kinds of precious stones, gates of pearl. | Contrast of worldly luxury vs. heavenly glory with similar materials. |
| Deut 18:9 | "...not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations." | Abominations related to pagan practices. |
| 1 Kgs 11:5, 7 | Solomon followed Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians... Chemosh the abomination of Moab. | Abominations directly linked to idolatry. |
| Jer 25:15-16 | "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to me: 'Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath... and make all the nations... drink it.'" | Cup as a symbol of wrath, contrasting with the harlot's cup of spiritual corruption. |
| Jer 2:20 | "For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your bonds... 'I will not serve!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a prostitute." | Israel's spiritual infidelity described as harlotry. |
| Hosea 4:12 | "My people inquire of a piece of wood... a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the harlot." | Harlotry symbolizing spiritual unfaithfulness. |
| Ps 73:6-7 | "Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment... their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish." | Outward show of wealth associated with the wicked. |
| Dan 11:31 | "Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple fortress, and shall abolish the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate." | "Abomination" referring to idolatrous defilement. |
| Lev 18:25, 27 | "And the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants... For the men of the land, who were before you, committed all these abominations..." | Idolatrous practices leading to defilement and judgment. |
| Matt 7:6 | "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs..." | Pearls having a significant value (contrast with misuse). |
| Rev 2:20 | "...you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols." | Fornication/immorality linked to idolatrous teaching. |
| Rev 19:2 | "...He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of His servants." | Direct description of the great harlot and her corrupting influence. |
Revelation 17 verses
Revelation 17 4 Meaning
Revelation 17:4 vividly describes a mysterious harlot, identified as Babylon the Great. Her outward appearance is one of extreme wealth, worldly power, and alluring beauty, being lavishly adorned with purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, and pearls. However, this opulent facade conceals deep corruption, symbolized by the golden cup in her hand. This seemingly glorious vessel is filled not with blessings, but with "abominable things" and "the filth of her adulteries," revealing her true nature as spiritually defiled, idolatrous, and morally corrupt, propagating unholiness and spiritual deception among the nations.
Revelation 17 4 Context
Revelation chapter 17 introduces the "Great Harlot," identified as "Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth," who sits on many waters and on a scarlet beast. This chapter follows the visions of the seven bowls of God's wrath, with the final bowl specifically targeting Babylon. John, in vision, is taken to see the judgment of this powerful figure. Verse 4 details her appearance, providing visual cues for her identity and character. Historically, this imagery is strongly associated with imperial Rome in its wealth, idolatry (particularly emperor worship), and persecution of Christians. Rome, built on seven hills, perfectly fits the description in Rev 17:9, and its emperors wore purple robes and scarlet sashes, embodying worldly power. The portrayal serves as a stark contrast between God's holiness and the seductive yet corrupt nature of human systems that oppose Him.
Revelation 17 4 Word analysis
- The woman (ἡ γυνή - hē gynē): In Revelation, a "woman" often symbolizes a corporate entity, either a city or a religious/political system. Here, it refers to the "Great Harlot" or "Babylon," representing an apostate power hostile to God.
- was dressed in (περιβεβλημένη - peribeblēmenē): This participle signifies being cloaked or arrayed. It emphasizes her outward appearance, suggesting a deliberate and impressive display of status and allure.
- purple (πορφυροῦν - porphuroun): This highly expensive dye was associated with royalty, imperial power, luxury, and opulence. It was the color of Roman emperors and elite. Symbolically, it points to her claims of authority and earthly magnificence, as well as a corrupt inversion of God's holy usage (Exod 25:4 where purple was used for sacred Tabernacle items).
- and scarlet (καὶ κόκκινον - kai kokkinon): Another very expensive color, scarlet often symbolized luxury, sin (Is 1:18), and bloodshed. It was also an imperial color, particularly associated with the Roman army and its pomp, hinting at the violent, persecuting nature of the power she represents (Rev 17:3 the beast is also scarlet).
- and was glittering with (κεχρυσωμένη - kechrusōmenē): Meaning "gilded" or "ornamented with gold." This signifies excessive outward ornamentation, emphasizing the vast wealth and material focus of the entity she represents.
- gold (χρυσῷ - chrusō): Symbolizes extreme wealth, value, and divine presence (in the temple context). Here, it is used for self-adornment, pointing to worldly treasure, false glory, and idolatry, rather than spiritual richness.
- precious stones (λίθῳ τιμίῳ - lithō timiō): Costly jewels, indicating immense riches and allure. While precious stones also adorn the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:19-20), here they are associated with worldly corruption and deception.
- and pearls (καὶ μαργαρίταις - kai margaritais): Like gold and precious stones, pearls signify great luxury and value (Matt 13:45-46), but when used for ostentatious display in Revelation, they contribute to the deceptive facade of Babylon (cf. 1 Tim 2:9).
- She held (ἔχουσα - echousa): Literally "having." This emphasizes possession and control; she actively wields her influence.
- a golden cup (ποτήριον χρυσοῦν - potērion chryssoun): A cup suggests something to be consumed or shared. The gold emphasizes its apparent beauty and worth. However, it’s a tool of deception, a seeming offering that conceals something destructive. It may echo the cups of wrath God administers (Jer 25:15, Rev 16), or twist the imagery of a celebratory cup.
- in her hand (τῇ χειρὶ αὐτῆς - tē cheiri autēs): Signifies direct control, power, and agency in disseminating her corrupt influence.
- filled with abominable things (γέμον βδελυγμάτων - gemôn bdelugmatōn): "Filled" suggests overflowing, completely characterized by. "Abominable things" (bdelugmata) refers to detestable practices, particularly idolatry, pagan worship, and moral defilements offensive to God (Deut 18:9-12; Dan 11:31).
- and the filth of (καὶ τῆς ἀκαθαρτητος - kai tēs akathartetēs, or ἀκαθαρσίας - akatharsias): Signifies impurity, defilement, spiritual uncleanness. It speaks to the utter lack of moral and spiritual purity.
- her adulteries (πορνείας αὐτῆς - porneias autēs): "Adulteries" or "fornication" (porneia) here primarily refers to spiritual unfaithfulness to God, idolatry, and involvement in false worship, metaphorically portrayed as spiritual prostitution (Ezek 16, 23; Hos 1-3). It indicates a deliberate turning away from the true God to illicit spiritual alliances.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.": This phrase portrays Babylon's deceptive external splendor. The chosen colors and materials communicate imperial authority, immense wealth, and alluring beauty, but they are indicative of earthly, corrupted glory. This lavish adornment signifies a seduction through material prosperity and prestige, masking her true depravity.
- "She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.": This powerfully reveals her true nature beneath the luxurious exterior. The "golden cup" suggests that the vehicle of her influence is outwardly appealing, even precious. However, what it contains—"abominable things" (idolatry, pagan practices) and the "filth of her adulteries" (spiritual harlotry, moral corruption, and defilement)—exposes her inherent impurity and her role in corrupting nations through spiritual deception and immorality.
Revelation 17 4 Bonus section
The "purple and scarlet" also highlight a strong connection to the description of the scarlet beast she rides upon in Revelation 17:3, emphasizing their symbiotic relationship in worldly power and rebellion against God. The meticulous detail in describing her wealth serves to underscore the intoxicating power of materialism and luxury that can distract from spiritual truth. This verse also lays the groundwork for understanding the later lamentations of kings and merchants over Babylon's fall in Revelation 18, where her excessive luxury and reliance on worldly wealth are repeatedly mentioned. The contrast with the purity and spiritual gold of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21) is striking, showing the deceptive nature of this world's glory compared to God's genuine, eternal glory. The use of "adulteries" as spiritual infidelity is a consistent biblical theme from the Old Testament prophets, making her portrayal clear to the original audience familiar with God's covenant with Israel and their unfaithfulness.
Revelation 17 4 Commentary
Revelation 17:4 serves as a dramatic unveiling of the "Great Harlot," Babylon. Her physical description is a powerful allegory for worldly systems, often manifesting as a state or religious-political entity that stands in opposition to God's kingdom. Her attire—purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, and pearls—signifies opulence, power, and captivating allure. These are the very symbols of earthly grandeur and luxury that attract the allegiance of nations and kings. This material splendor is, however, a deceptive facade. The imagery presents a profound contrast: a seemingly magnificent entity outwardly, yet inwardly consumed by vileness. The golden cup she holds is central to this deception. Gold normally represents purity and value, yet here, it contains all that is anathema to God—idolatry and profound spiritual infidelity. She offers a delusive promise of glory and pleasure, but what she dispenses is spiritual defilement, corrupting those who partake. This harlot represents systems that, while appearing glorious and offering material benefits, lead humanity into rebellion against God through false worship, moral degradation, and spiritual idolatry, thereby seducing the nations to partake in her sins.