Revelation 17:15
New International Version
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.

New Living Translation
Then the angel said to me, “The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language.

English Standard Version
And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Berean Literal Bible
And he says to me, "The waters that you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

King James Bible
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

New King James Version
Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

New American Standard Bible
And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes, and nations and languages.

NASB 1995
And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

NASB 1977
And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.

Amplified Bible
Then the angel said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

Christian Standard Bible
He also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

American Standard Version
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Contemporary English Version
The oceans you saw the prostitute sitting on are crowds of people from all races and languages.

English Revised Version
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The angel also said to me, "The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, crowds, nations, and languages.

Good News Translation
The angel also said to me, "The waters you saw, on which the prostitute sits, are nations, peoples, races, and languages.

International Standard Version
The angel also told me, "The bodies of water you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the angel said to me, ?The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

NET Bible
Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

New Heart English Bible
He said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and languages.

Weymouth New Testament
He also said to me, "The waters which you have seen, on which the Harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, nations and languages.

World English Bible
He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;

Berean Literal Bible
And he says to me, "The waters that you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith to me, 'The waters that thou didst see, where the whore doth sit, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he says to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and nations, and tongues.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and nations and languages.

New American Bible
Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw where the harlot lives represent large numbers of peoples, nations, and tongues.

New Revised Standard Version
And he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to me, “The waters that you saw, upon which The Harlot sat, are the nations, multitudes, peoples and languages.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And he said to me: The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Godbey New Testament
And he says to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Haweis New Testament
And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, on which the whore sat, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Mace New Testament
Then he said to me, the waters which you saw, where the prostitute has her seat, are the people, the multitude, nations, and provinces.

Weymouth New Testament
He also said to me, "The waters which you have seen, on which the Harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, nations and languages.

Worrell New Testament
And he says to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Worsley New Testament
And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, whereon the harlot sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Victory of the Lamb
14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.” 15Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.…

Cross References
Isaiah 8:7
the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.

Isaiah 17:12-13
Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. / The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale.

Jeremiah 51:13
You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.

Daniel 7:2-3
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea. / Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:

Psalm 65:7
You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations.

Psalm 93:3-4
The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves. / Above the roar of many waters—the mighty breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is majestic.

Ezekiel 26:3
therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, O Tyre, I am against you, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.

Ezekiel 32:2
“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’

Isaiah 57:20
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.

Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you.

Jeremiah 46:7-8
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? / Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’

Matthew 13:47-50
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. / When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away. / So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ...

Luke 21:25
There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.

Revelation 13:1
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

Revelation 19:6
And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

The waters.

Revelation 17:1
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Psalm 18:4
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

Psalm 65:7
Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

are.

Revelation 10:11
And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

Revelation 11:9
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Revelation 13:7,8
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations…

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Angel Armies Evil Harlot Languages Multitudes Nations Peoples Prostitute Sawest Seated Sit Sits Sitteth Tongues Waters Whore
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Angel Armies Evil Harlot Languages Multitudes Nations Peoples Prostitute Sawest Seated Sit Sits Sitteth Tongues Waters Whore
Revelation 17
1. A woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand sits upon the beast;
5. which is great Babylon, the mother of all abominations.
9. The interpretation of the seven heads;
12. and the ten horns.
14. The victory of the Lamb.
16. The punishment of the harlot.














Then the angel said to me
This phrase introduces a divine revelation, emphasizing the role of angels as messengers of God. In the Greek, "angel" (ἄγγελος, angelos) means "messenger." Throughout Scripture, angels are depicted as God's servants who deliver His messages to humanity. This underscores the importance of the message being conveyed, as it comes directly from a heavenly source, ensuring its truth and authority.

The waters you saw
In biblical symbolism, "waters" often represent chaos, danger, or the unknown, but here they are given a specific meaning. The Greek word for "waters" (ὕδατα, hydata) can also imply abundance or multitude. In the context of Revelation, waters are frequently used to symbolize large groups of people or nations, as seen in other prophetic books like Daniel. This imagery sets the stage for understanding the vast influence and reach of the entity described.

where the prostitute was seated
The "prostitute" (πόρνη, porne) symbolizes spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness to God. In the Old Testament, Israel is often described as a harlot when it turns away from God to worship idols (e.g., Hosea 1-3). The act of being "seated" (καθήμενος, kathemenos) implies authority or control, suggesting that this entity has significant influence over the "waters" or peoples. This imagery warns of the seductive power of false religions and ideologies that lead people away from true worship.

are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues
This phrase clarifies the symbolic meaning of the "waters." The Greek terms used here—"peoples" (λαοί, laoi), "multitudes" (ὄχλοι, ochloi), "nations" (ἔθνη, ethne), and "tongues" (γλῶσσαι, glossai)—emphasize the diversity and universality of those under the influence of the prostitute. This reflects the global reach of false religious systems and the widespread nature of spiritual deception. Historically, this can be seen in the way empires and false religions have sought to dominate and unify diverse groups under a single ideology or belief system.

(15) And he said unto me . . .--Better, And he (i.e., the angel mentioned in Revelation 17:1) saith, &c. The waters on which the harlot sits are explained as "multitudes." We have thus a key to the imagery employed here and elsewhere (Revelation 13:1). The wild beast and the harlot both draw much of their power from the people. The easily-moved passions or the fickle crowd, its generous, unreasoning impulses, are used by subtle and seductive enemies. "Men never so much need to be theocratic as when they are most democratic," said De Tocqueville. They need to recognise God as their King, then, most when their new discovered strength is likely to be made the tool of unscrupulous ambition.

Verse 15. - And he saith unto me. As in ver. 7, these words form the preface to a particular description. Having explained the mystery of the beast, to whom the woman looks for support, the angel now proceeds to unfold the mystery of the harlot herself. The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth; viz. those mentioned in ver. 1. In ver. 7 we are told that the beast carries the woman. Both statements are correct. The beast is the world power, which is found among the "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues." Are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, The fourfold description of the human race (cf. Revelation 5:9, etc.), which, as a whole, serves the beast (cf. Revelation 13:3, 8, 12, 16), and out of which are selected the redeemed (Revelation 5:9; Revelation 9:9).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[the angel] said
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

to me,
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

“The
Τὰ (Ta)
Article - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

waters
ὕδατα (hydata)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5204: Water. And genitive case, hudatos, etc. From the base of huetos; water literally or figuratively.

where
οὗ (hou)
Adverb
Strong's 3757: Where, whither, when, in what place. Genitive case of hos as adverb; at which place, i.e. Where.

you saw
εἶδες (eides)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

prostitute
πόρνη (pornē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4204: A prostitute; met: an idolatrous community. Feminine of pornos; a strumpet; figuratively, an idolater.

seated
κάθηται (kathētai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2521: To sit, be seated, enthroned; I dwell, reside. From kata; and hemai; to sit down; figuratively, to remain, reside.

are
εἰσὶν (eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

peoples
λαοὶ (laoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2992: Apparently a primary word; a people.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

multitudes
ὄχλοι (ochloi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3793: From a derivative of echo; a throng; by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

nations
ἔθνη (ethnē)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1484: Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

tongues.
γλῶσσαι (glōssai)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1100: The tongue; by implication, a language.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 17:15 He said to me The waters which (Rev. Re Apocalypse)
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