Revelation 17:3-8

New International Version

³ Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit^(A) into a wilderness.^(B) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet^(C) beast that was covered with blasphemous names^(D) and had seven heads and ten horns.^{(E) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.^(F) She held a golden cup^(G) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.^{(H) 5} The name written on her forehead was a mystery:^(I)

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,^(L) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷ Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery^(M) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.^{(N) 8} The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss^(O) and go to its destruction.^(P) The inhabitants of the earth^(Q) whose names have not been written in the book of life^(R) from the creation of the world will be astonished^(S) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.