Revelation 17:6I 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.
The setting
John continues his vision on Patmos, seeing the woman drunk on Christian blood - representing Rome's brutal persecution of believers including crucifixions, arena deaths...
The emotion here: overwhelmed by the scope of Christian suffering
The original word
thaumazō (ἐθαύμασα) — astonished wonder, both amazed and appalled
Why it matters
By 95 AD, thousands of Christians had been executed in Roman arenas as entertainment
Read with care
What most readers miss in Revelation 17:6
John's 'wonder' isn't admiration but horrified shock at the extent of Christian bloodshed
Common misconceptionPeople think John admired the woman's power, but his 'wonder' was actually horror and disbelief at how much Christian blood had been spilled.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Revelation 17:6
Bible Genome reading
Revelation 17:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Revelation 17:6 comes from the book of Revelation, written during the Apostolic period. These words are attributed to John. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the vision genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persecution, martyrdom, evil. Notable phrases: drunken with the blood of the saints. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Revelation 17:6 mean to you, today?
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