Revelation 17 · Verse 4

Revelation 17:4

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, King James Version

Revelation 17:4 in other translations

BSB	The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
WEB	The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth.
ASV	And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,
YLT	and the woman was arrayed with purple and scarlet-colour, and gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom,
DARBY	And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and had ornaments of gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the unclean things of her fornication;
BBE	And the woman was clothed in purple and bright red, with ornaments of gold and stones of great price and jewels; and in her hand was a gold cup full of evil things and her unclean desires;
Webster	And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet-color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her lewdness:

What does Revelation 17:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. The color scarlet, it is remarkable, is that reserved for popes and cardinals. Paul II made it penal for anyone but cardinals to wear hats of scarlet; compare Roman Ceremonial [3.5.5]. This book was compiled several centuries ago by Marcellus, a Romish archbishop, and dedicated to Leo X. In it are enumerated five different articles of dress of scarlet color. A vest is mentioned studded with pearls. The Pope's miter is of gold and precious stones. These are the very characteristics outwardly which Revelation thrice assigns to the harlot or Babylon. So Joachim an abbot from Calabria, about A.D. 1200, when asked by Richard of England, who had summoned him to Palestine, concerning Antichrist, replied that "he was born long ago at Rome, and is now exalting himself above all that is called God." Roger Hoveden [Annals, 1.2], and elsewhere, wrote, "The harlot arrayed in gold is the Church of Rome." Whenever and wherever (not in Rome alone) the Church, instead of being "clothed (as at first, Re 12:1) with the sun" of heaven, is arrayed in earthly meretricious gauds, compromising the truth of God through fear, or flattery, of the world's power, science, or wealth, she becomes the harlot seated on the beast, and doomed in righteous retribution to be judged by the beast (Re 17:16). Soon, like Rome, and like the Jews of Christ's and the apostles' time leagued with the heathen Rome, she will then become the persecutor of the saints (Re 17:6). Instead of drinking her Lord's "cup" of suffering, she has "a cup full of abominations and filthinesses." Rome, in her medals, represents herself holding a cup with the self-condemning inscription, "Sedet super universum." Meanwhile the world power gives up its hostility and accepts Christianity externally; the beast gives up its God-opposed character, the woman gives up her divine one. They meet halfway by mutual concessions; Christianity becomes worldly, the world becomes Christianized. The gainer is the world; the loser is the Church. The beast for a time receives a deadly wound (Re 13:3), but is not really transfigured; he will return worse than ever (Re 17:11-14). The Lord alone by His coming can make the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. The "purple" is the badge of empire; even as in mockery it was put on our Lord. decked--literally, "gilded." stones--Greek, "stone." filthiness--A, B, and Andreas read, "the filthy (impure) things."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour. On the nature of the scarlet colour, Rev 17:3. The purple colour--πορφυρα--was obtained from a species of shell-fish found on the coasts of the Mediterranean, which yielded a reddish-purple dye, much prized by the ancients. Robes dyed in that colour were commonly worn by persons of rank and wealth, Mk 15:17,20, Lk 16:19. The purple colour contains more blue than the crimson, though the limits are not very accurately defined, and the words are sometimes interchanged. Thus the mock robe put on the Saviour is called in Mk 15:17,20, πορφυραν--purple, and in Mt 27:28, κοκκινην--crimson. On the applicability of this to the Papacy, Rev 17:3.

And decked with gold. After the manner of an harlot, with rich jewelry.

And precious stones. Sparkling diamonds, etc.

And pearls. Also a much-valued female ornament. Compare Barnes on "Mt 7:6; 13:46".

Having a golden cup in her hand. As if to entice lovers. Rev 14:8.

Full of abominations. Of abominable things; of things fitted to excite abhorrence and disgust; things unlawful and forbidden. The word, in the Scriptures, is commonly used to denote the impurities and abominations of idolatry. Dan 9:27. The meaning here is, that it seemed to be a cup filled with wine, but it was in fact a cup full of all abominable drugs, leading to all kinds of corruption. How much in accordance this is with the fascinations of the Papacy, it is not necessary now to say, after the ample illustrations of the same thing already furnished in these Notes.

And filthiness of her fornication, The image here is that of Papal Rome, represented as an abandoned woman in gorgeous attire, alluring by her arts the nations of the earth, and seducing them into all kinds of pollution and abomination. It is a most remarkable fact that the Papacy, as if designing to furnish a fulfilment of this prophecy, has chosen to represent itself almost precisely in this manner--as a female extending an alluring cup to passers by. Apostate churches, and guilty nations, often furnish the very proofs necessary to confirm the truth of the Scriptures.

(a) "Mystery Babylon" 2Thes 2:7 (1) "HARLOTS" "fornications"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication - This strikingly represents the most pompous and costly manner in which the Latin Church has held forth to the nations the rites and ceremonies of its idolatrous and corrupt worship.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 17:1-6

Chapter Outline One of the angels who had the vials, explains the meaning of the former vision of the antichristian beast that was to reign 1260 years, and then to be destroyed. (1-6) And interprets the mystery of the woman, and the beast that had seven heads and ten horns. (7-18) Verses 1-6 Rome clearly appears to be meant in this chapter. Pagan Rome subdued and ruled with military power, not by art and flatteries…

Read the full comment on Revelation 17:1-6 →

Revelation 17:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἡhētheG3588

γυνὴgunēwomanG1135

ἦνēnwasG1510

περιβεβλημένηperibeblēmenēclothed inG4016

πορφυροῦνporphurounpurpleG4210

καὶkaiandG2532

κόκκινονkokkinonscarletG2847

καὶkaiandG2532

κεχρυσωμένηkechrusōmenēadornedG5558

χρυσίῳchrusiōwith goldG5553

καὶkaiandG2532

λίθῳlithōwith stoneG3037

τιμίῳtimiōpreciousG5093

καὶkaiandG2532

μαργαρίταις,margaritaiswith pearls,G3135

ἔχουσαechousaholdingG2192

ποτήριονpotēriona cupG4221

χρυσοῦνchrusoungoldenG5552

ἐνeninG1722

τῇtēatheG3588

χειρὶcheirihandG5495

αὐτῆςautēsof herG846

γέμονgemonbeing fullG1073

βδελυγμάτωνbdelugmatōnof abominationsG946

καὶkaiandG2532

τὰtatheG3588

ἀκάθαρταakathartaunclean [things]G169

τῆςtēsof theG3588

πορνείαςporneiassexual immoralityG4202

αὐτῆς.autēsof her.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 17:4

Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
Revelation 18:16
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Revelation 19:2
For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
Revelation 18:12
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. …
Lamentations 1:9
Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
Daniel 11:38
But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
Revelation 18:6-7
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Revelation 14:8
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Ezekiel 24:13
In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.
1 Kings 14:24
And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
Ezekiel 24:11
Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

arrayed.
18:7,12,16
decked. Gr. gilded.
Da 11:38
golden.
14:8; 18:6; 19:2; Jer 51:7; 2Th 2:3-10
abominations.
De 29:17; 1Ki 14:24; 2Ki 21:2; Isa 66:3; Eze 20:30; Ho 9:10
filthiness.
Ezr 9:11; La 1:9; Eze 24:11,13; 36:25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Revelation 17:3
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 17:4
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 17:5
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Read all of Revelation 17

Revelation 17:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y la mujer estaba vestida de púrpura y de escarlata, y dorada con oro, y adornada de piedras preciosas y de perlas, teniendo un cáliz de oro en su mano lleno de abominaciones, y de la suciedad de su fornicación;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et la femme était vêtue de pourpre et d’écarlate, et parée d’or et de pierres précieuses et de perles, ayant dans sa main une coupe d’or pleine d’abominations, et les impuretés de sa fornication;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und das Weib war bekleidet mit Purpur und Scharlach und übergoldet mit Gold und Edelgestein und Perlen, und sie hatte einen goldenen Becher in ihrer Hand, voll Greuel und Unreinigkeit ihrer Hurerei;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et mulier erat circumdata purpura, et coccino, et inaurata auro, et lapide pretioso, et margaritis, habens poculum aureum in manu sua, plenum abominatione, et immunditia fornicationis ejus.