The book is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle,[1][2] but the identity of the author remains a point of academic debate.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are among others:[5][a] After being mentioned only briefly in Revelation 14:8 and 16:19, Babylon is given a full description in this section.

[11] Lutheran Pietist theologian Johann Bengel notes a parallel with Tyre, which "committed fornication with the kingdoms of the earth" in Isaiah 23:17–18.

[8] Whereas one of Revelation's key designations for God is the term 'the one who was and who is and who is to come' (1:4, 8), in this verse the beast is twice described in a similar term, but with the significant different in the middle which is negative: 'is not', because unlike God, the beast is not eternal and his second coming "will prove a fraud" and "go to destruction".

[8] This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Gill, John.