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简体中文
英語原文
This chapter contains another representation of those things that had been revealed before concerning the wickedness and ruin of antichrist. This antichrist had been before represented as a beast, and is now described as a great whore. And here, I. The apostle is invited to see this vile woman, Re 17:1,2. II. He tells us what an appearance she made, Re 17:3-6. III. The mystery of it is explained to him, Re 17:7-12. And, IV. Her ruin foretold, Re 17:13-18, etc.
1-6
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
简体中文
巴比伦的倾倒（公元95年）
¹ 拿着七碗的七位天使中，有一位前来对我说：「你到这里来，我将坐在众水上的大淫妇所要受的刑罚指给你看。
² 地上的君王与她行淫，住在地上的人喝醉了她淫乱的酒。
³ 我被圣灵感动，天使带我到旷野去，我就看见一个女人骑在朱红色的兽上；那兽有七头十角，遍体有亵渎的名号。
⁴ 那女人穿着紫色和朱红色的衣服，用金子、宝石、珍珠为妆饰；手拿金杯，杯中盛满了可憎之物，就是她淫乱的污秽。
⁵ 在她额上有名写着说：「奥秘哉！大巴比伦，作世上的淫妇和一切可憎之物的母。」
⁶ 我又看见那女人喝醉了圣徒的血和为耶稣作见证之人的血。我看见她，就大大地希奇。
这里我们看见一个新的异象，并非在内容上为新，因为这异象与末三碗之下所发生的事同时；而是在描述的方式上有所不同，等等。请注意：1. 使徒受邀来观看此处所要表明的事：「你到这里来，我将……大淫妇所要受的刑罚指给你看」，等等，启 17:1。这是一个极大的恶名。「淫妇」〔在此处〕是指一个已经婚嫁、却对其丈夫的床不忠的女人，她离弃了幼年所配的配偶，违背了神的约。她向来作地上君王的娼妓，使地上的居民「喝醉了她淫乱的酒」。2. 她显现的模样：华丽耀眼，正如这一类人物所常有的：「那女人穿着紫色和朱红色的衣服，用金子、宝石、珍珠为妆饰」，启 17:4。这里充满了属世尊荣与财富、排场与骄傲的一切诱惑，专为迎合属肉体的、属世的心思。3. 她主要的座位与居所——「在那有七头十角的兽上」；也就是说，是罗马，那建在七座山上的城，因拜偶像、暴政与亵渎而臭名昭著。4. 她的名字，「写在她额上」。无耻的淫妇素来悬挂写有自己名字的招牌，叫众人皆知她们是何等人。在此请注意：(1) 她按其居所之地得名——「大巴比伦」。但为使我们不致误以为这就是字面意义上的旧巴比伦，这里告诉我们这名字里有一个奥秘；它是指另一座与旧巴比伦相似的大城。(2) 她按其臭名昭著的行径与做法而得名：不仅是个淫妇，更是淫妇之母，她养育淫妇，抚育并栽培她们陷于拜偶像及各样淫乱邪恶之中——她是一切虚假宗教与污秽行径的根源与温床。5. 她的饮食：她以「圣徒和为耶稣作见证之人的血」饱足。她饮他们的血如此贪婪，以至在其中醉倒；这血在她口中如此甘美，使她不知何时方算满足：她已饱足，却从未满足。
英語原文
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
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 show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
² With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
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.
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:
⁵ And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
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.
Here we have a new vision, not as to the matter of it, for that is contemporary with what came under the three last vials; but as to the manner of description, etc. Observe, 1. The invitation given to the apostle to take a view of what was here to be represented: Come hither, and I will show thee the judgment of the great whore, etc., Re 17:1. This is a name of great infamy. A whore [in this passage] is one that is married, and has been false to her husband's bed, has forsaken the guide of her youth, and broken the covenant of God. She had been a prostitute to the kings of the earth, whom she had intoxicated with the wine of her fornication. 2. The appearance she made: it was gay and gaudy, like such sort of creatures: She was arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, Re 17:4. Here were all the allurements of worldly honour and riches, pomp and pride, suited to sensual and worldly minds. 3. Her principal seat and residence—upon the beast that had seven heads and ten horns; that is to say, Rome, the city on seven hills, infamous for idolatry, tyranny, and blasphemy. 4. Her name, which was written on her forehead. It was the custom of impudent harlots to hang out signs, with their names, that all might know what they were. Now in this observe, (1.) She is named from her place of residence—Babylon the great. But, that we might not take it for the old Babylon literally so called, we are told there is a mystery in the name; it is some other great city resembling the old Babylon. (2.) She is named from her infamous way and practice; not only a harlot, but a mother of harlots, breeding up harlots, and nursing and training them up to idolatry, and all sorts of lewdness and wickedness—the parent and nurse of all false religion and filthy conversation. 5. Her diet: she satiated herself with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus. She drank their blood with such greediness that she intoxicated herself with it; it was so pleasant to her that she could not tell when she had had enough of it: she was satiated, but never satisfied.
7-13
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
简体中文
巴比伦的倾覆（公元95年）
⁷ 天使对我说：『你为什么希奇呢？我要将这女人和驮着她的那七头十角之兽的奥秘告诉你。 ⁸ 你所看见的兽，先前有，如今没有；将要从无底坑里上来，又要归于沉沦。凡住在地上、名字从创世以来没有记在生命册上的，见先前有、如今没有、以后再有的兽，就必希奇。 ⁹ 智慧的心在此可以思想。那七头就是女人所坐的七座山， ¹⁰ 又是七位王；五位已经倾倒了，一位还在，另一位还没有来到；他来的时候，必须暂时存留。 ¹¹ 那先前有、如今没有的兽，就是第八位；他也和那七位同列，并且归于沉沦。 ¹² 你所看见的那十角就是十王；他们还没有得国，但他们一时之间要和兽同得权柄，与王一样。 ¹³ 他们同心合意，将自己的能力、权柄给那兽。』
此处我们看见这异象的奥秘得了讲解。使徒因看见这女人而希奇：天使便承担为他开启此异象之责，因它是先前诸异象的钥匙；他告诉使徒那驮着女人的兽指什么；但这讲解本身仍需进一步解释。1. 这兽「先前有，如今没有，以后又有」；即它「先前」是偶像崇拜与逼迫之所在；「如今没有」，即不以古时异教的形式存在；「以后又有」，它确是偶像崇拜与暴虐之所在，只是另具样式与形式。「它从无底坑里上来」（偶像崇拜与残暴是地狱所出的产物），又要归回那里，归于沉沦。2. 这兽有七头，有双重含义。（1）「七座山」——罗马所坐落其上的七座山；（2）「七位王」——七种政体。罗马先后由君王、执政官、护民官、十人委员会、独裁官、异教皇帝、基督教皇帝治理。当这预言写下时，其中五种已经过去；一种当时尚在，即异教皇帝；另一种，即基督教皇帝，尚未来到（启17:10）。这兽——教皇制——构成第八种治理者，又重新设立偶像崇拜。3. 这兽有十角；据说这是「十王，他们还没有得国」，即按某些人的见解，要等到罗马帝国四分五裂之后才兴起；或按另一些人的见解，要等到接近敌基督统治的末期才兴起，故而只能与她「一时之间」作王；但在那段时期内，他们在此利益上必极其同心、极其热心，完全奉献于此，甚至因对教皇制一种难以名状的偏爱，自愿放下自己的特权与岁入（这些本是君王所视为至宝的）。
英語原文
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
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.
⁸ The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
⁹ And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
¹⁰ And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
¹¹ And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
¹² And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
¹³ These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Here we have the mystery of this vision explained. The apostle wonders at the sight of this woman: the angel undertakes to open this vision to him, it being the key of the former visions; and he tells the apostle what was meant by the beast on which the woman sat; but it is so explained as still to need further explanation. 1. This beast was, and is not, and yet is; that is, it was a seat of idolatry and persecution; and is not, that is, not in the ancient form, which was pagan; and yet it is, it is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form. It ascends out of the bottomless pit (idolatry and cruelty are the issue and product of hell), and it shall return thither and go into perdition. 2. This beast has seven heads, which have a double signification. (1.) Seven mountains—the seven hills on which Rome stands; and (2.) Seven kings—seven sorts of government. Rome was governed by kings, consuls, tribunes, decemviri, dictators, emperors who were pagan, and emperors who were Christian. Five of these were extinct when this prophecy was written; one was then in being, that is, the pagan emperor; and the other, that is, the Christian emperor, was yet to come, Re 17:10. This beast, the papacy, makes an eighth governor, and sets up idolatry again. 3. This beast had ten horns; which are said to be ten kings which have as yet received no kingdoms; as yet, that is, as some, shall not rise up till the Roman empire be broken in pieces; or, as others, shall not rise up till near the end of antichrist's reign, and so shall reign but as it were one hour with her, but shall for that time be very unanimous and very zealous in that interest, and entirely devoted to it, divesting themselves of their prerogatives and revenues (things so dear to princes), out of an unaccountable fondness for the papacy.
14-18
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
简体中文
巴比伦的倾覆（公元95年）
¹⁴ 他们与羔羊争战，羔羊必胜过他们，因为羔羊是万主之主、万王之王。同着羔羊的，就是蒙召、被选、有忠心的，也必得胜。 ¹⁵ 天使又对我说：你所看见那淫妇坐的众水，就是多民、多人、多国、多方。 ¹⁶ 你所看见的那十角与兽必恨这淫妇，使她冷落赤身，又要吃她的肉，用火将她烧尽。 ¹⁷ 因为神使诸王同心合意，遵行他的旨意，把自己的国给那兽，直等到神的话都应验了。 ¹⁸ 你所看见的那女人就是管辖地上众王的大城。
这里我们对巴比伦的倾覆有所记述，下一章将有更详尽的描述。
一、这里兽与他的随从、羔羊与他的随从之间爆发了一场争战。在肉眼看来，兽和他的军队似乎比羔羊和他的军队强大得多：人们会以为，以羔羊为首的军队无法在「大红龙」面前站立得住。但是，
二、这里羔羊赢得了胜利：「羔羊必胜过他们」。基督必作王，直到一切仇敌都「服在他脚下」；他必定会遭遇许多仇敌和极大的抵挡，但他也必定会赢得胜利。
三、这里指出了得胜的根据或理由，这取自以下两方面：1. 羔羊的性情：「他是万王之王、万主之主」。他无论按本性还是按职分，对万物都拥有至高的主权与权能；地上和阴间的一切权势都受他的辖制与统管。2. 他随从的性情：「同着羔羊的，就是蒙召、被选、有忠心的」。他们奉差遣被呼召出来参与这场争战；他们蒙拣选、适合承担这使命，也必在其中忠心。这样一支军队，在这样一位元帅率领之下，终必征服全地。
四、这场胜利理当被高举。1. 因有极多的群众曾向兽和淫妇臣服归顺。她坐在（也就是统辖）众水之上，而这些水就是无数的群众、百姓，以及说各种语言的人；她不仅统治列国，更统治列王，他们都是她的附庸与藩属（启17:15,18）。2. 因神借此显明他对权贵之人心思所拥有的大能影响。他们的心都在他手中，随他的意旨而转移；因为，（1）这些君王「同心合意，把自己的国给那兽」，这是出于神，为要成就他的旨意；他们被交付审判的盲目与刚硬而行此事。（2）后来他们的心转而恨恶那淫妇，使她「冷落赤身，又要吃她的肉，用火将她烧尽」，这也是出于神；他们终必看见自己的愚妄，看见自己曾如何被教皇制所蛊惑奴役，便出于正当的愤恨，不仅脱离罗马，更要被神护理之工所用，成为毁灭罗马的工具。
英語原文
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
¹⁴ These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
¹⁵ And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
¹⁶ And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
¹⁷ For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
¹⁸ And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Here we have some account of the downfall of Babylon, to be more fully described in the following chapter.
I. Here is a war begun between the beast and his followers, and the Lamb and his followers. The beast and his army, to an eye of sense, appear much stronger than the Lamb and his army: one would think an army with a lamb at the head of them could not stand before the great red dragon. But,
II. Here is a victory gained by the Lamb: The Lamb shall overcome. Christ must reign till all enemies be put under his feet; he will be sure to meet with many enemies, and much opposition, but he will also be sure to gain the victory.
III. Here is the ground or reason of the victory assigned; and this is taken, 1. From the character of the Lamb: He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He has, both by nature and by office, supreme dominion and power over all things; all the powers of earth and hell are subject to his check and control. 2. From the character of his followers: They are called, and chosen, and faithful. They are called out by commission to this warfare; they are chosen and fitted for it, and they will be faithful in it. Such an army, under such a commander, will at length carry all the world before them.
IV. The victory is justly aggrandized. 1. By the vast multitude who paid obedience and subjection to the beast and to the whore. She sat upon (that is, presided over) many waters; and these waters were so many multitudes of people, and nations, of all languages; yea, she reigned not only over kingdoms, but over the kings, and they were her tributaries and vassals, Re 17:15,18. 2. By the powerful influence which God hereby showed he had over the minds of great men. Their hearts were in his hand, and he turned them as he pleased; for, (1.) It was of God, and to fulfil his will, that these kings agreed to give their kingdom unto the beast; they were judicially blinded and hardened to do so. And, (2.) It was of God that afterwards their hearts were turned against the whore, to hate her, and to make her desolate and naked, and to eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; they shall at length see their folly, and how they have been bewitched and enslaved by the papacy, and, out of a just resentment, shall not only fall off from Rome, but shall be made the instruments of God's providence in her destruction.
本章包含先前已启示过的、关于敌基督之邪恶与灭亡之事的另一种描述。这位敌基督先前被描述为兽，如今则被描述为大淫妇。在此：一、使徒受邀来观看这卑劣的女人，启 17:1,2。二、他告诉我们她显现的模样如何，启 17:3-6。三、其中的奥秘向他解明，启 17:7-12。四、预言她的灭亡，启 17:13-18，等等。