Revelation 17 · Verse 6

Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Revelation 17:6, King James Version

Revelation 17:6 in other translations

BSBI could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
WEBI saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
ASVAnd I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.
YLTAnd I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the saints, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus, and I did wonder--having seen her--with great wonder;
DARBYAnd I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And I wondered, seeing her, with great wonder.
BBEAnd I saw the woman overcome as with the wine of the blood of the saints, and the blood of those put to death because of Jesus. And when I saw her, I was overcome with a great wonder.
WebsterAnd I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

What does Revelation 17:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. martyrs--witnesses. I wondered with great admiration--As the Greek is the same in the verb and the noun, translate the latter "wonder." John certainly did not admire her in the modern English sense. Elsewhere (Re 17:8; 13:3), all the earthly-minded ("they that dwell on the earth") wonder in admiration of the beast. Here only is John's wonder called forth; not the beast, but the woman sunken into the harlot, the Church become a world-loving apostate, moves his sorrowful astonishment at so awful a change. That the world should be beastly is natural, but that the faithful bride should become the whore is monstrous, and excites the same amazement in him as the same awful change in Israel excited in Isaiah and Jeremiah. "Horrible thing" in them answers to "abominations" here. "Corruptio optimi pessima"; when the Church falls, she sinks lower than the godless world, in proportion as her right place is higher than the world. It is striking that in Re 17:3, "woman" has not the article, "the woman," as if she had been before mentioned: for though identical in one sense with the woman, Re 12:1-6, in another sense she is not. The elect are never perverted into apostates, and still remain as the true woman invisibly contained in the harlot; yet Christendom regarded as the woman has apostatized from its first faith.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints. A reeling, intoxicated harlot--for that is the image which is kept up all along. In regard to the phrase "drunken with blood," compare Jer 46:10. "The phraseology is derived from the barbarous custom (still extant among many Pagan nations) of drinking the blood of the enemies slain in the way of revenge. The effect of drinking blood is said to be to exasperate, and to intoxicate with passion and a desire of revenge."--Prof. Stuart, in loc. The meaning here is, that the persecuting power referred to had shed the blood of the saints; and that, in its fury, it had, as it were, drunk the blood of the slain, and had become, by drinking that blood, intoxicated and infuriated. No one need say how applicable this has been to the Papacy. Compare, however, Barnes on "Da 7:21,25; Re 12:13-14; 13:15".

And with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. Especially with their blood. The meaning is, that the warfare in which so much blood was shed was directed against the saints as such, and that in fact it terminated particularly on those who, amidst cruel sufferings, were faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus, and deserved to be called, by way of eminence, martyrs. Compare Rev 2:13; Rev 6:9; Rev 11:5, Rev 11:7. How applicable this is to the Papacy, let the blood shed in the valleys of Piedmont; the blood shed in the Low Countries by the Duke of Alva; the blood shed on St. Bartholomew's day; and the blood shed in the Inquisition, testify.

And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. I was astonished at her appearance; at her apparel, and at the things which were so significantly symbolized by her.

(b) "drunken" Rev 16:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration - How exactly the cruelties exercised by the Latin Church against all it has denominated heretics correspond with this description, the reader need not be informed.

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 17:6 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
εἶδονeidonI sawG1492
τὴνtēntheG3588
γυναῖκαgunaikawomanG1135
μεθύουσανmethuousanbeing drunkG3184
ἐκekwithG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
αἵματοςaimatosbloodG129
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ἁγίωνhagiōnsaintsG40
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐκekwithG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
αἵματοςaimatosbloodG129
τῶνtōnof theG3588
μαρτύρωνmarturōnwitnessesG3144
Ἰησοῦ,Iēsouof Jesus,G2424
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἐθαύμασαethaumasaI marveledG2296
ἰδὼνidōnhaving seenG1492
αὐτὴνautēnherG846
θαῦμαthaumawith wonderG2295
μέγα.megagreat.G3173

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

Cross references for Revelation 17:6

  • Revelation 16:6

    For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

  • Revelation 13:15

    And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

  • Revelation 2:13

    I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

  • Daniel 7:25

    And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

  • Revelation 12:11

    And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

  • Revelation 18:20-24

    Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. …

  • Acts 22:20

    And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

  • Revelation 13:7

    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.

  • Habakkuk 1:13

    Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

  • Daniel 7:21

    I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

  • Revelation 6:9-10

    And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
drunken.
13:7,15; 16:6; 18:20-24; Da 7:21,25
the martyrs.
2:13; 6:9,10; 12:11; Ac 22:20
I wondered.
Hab 1:13

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

Context

  • Revelation 17:5

    And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

  • Revelation 17:6

    And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

  • Revelation 17:7

    And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Read all of Revelation 17

Revelation 17:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y vi la mujer embriagada de la sangre de los santos, y de la sangre de los mártires de Jesús: y cuando la vi, quedé maravillado de grande admiración.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je vis la femme enivrée du sang des saints, et du sang des témoins de Jésus; et, en la voyant, je fus saisi d’un grand étonnement.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich sah das Weib trunken von dem Blute der Heiligen und von dem Blute der Zeugen Jesu. Und ich verwunderte mich, als ich sie sah, mit großer Verwunderung.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et vidi mulierem ebriam de sanguine sanctorum, et de sanguine martyrum Jesu. Et miratus sum cum vidissem illam admiratione magna.