This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
Parallel translations
- WEB Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
- KJV And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
- NKJV “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
- NASB Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits,
- NLT “This calls for a mind with understanding: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules. They also represent seven kings.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Understanding requires God-given wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains where the woman sits. The imagery points to a concrete center of worldly power.
Overview
The call for 'the mind that has wisdom' invites careful, Spirit-led interpretation. Seven mountains would have evoked Rome for John's first readers, the city on seven hills, while also signifying the fullness of earthly dominion. Faithful Christians differ on the precise referent, but all agree the vision unmasks human empire that exalts itself against God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Rev 13:18Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.
- Rev 17:7“Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
- Dan 12:4But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
- Matt 24:15So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
- Rev 17:3And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
- Rev 13:1Then 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.
- Hos 14:9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.
- Dan 12:8–10I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
- Rev 17:18And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
- Matt 13:11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 17:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.