Revelation17:16

“Hate” is what the Greek text says, but it has a slightly different usage than our English word for hate. In Greek it is a comparative expression, meaning that one loves this thing or person less than he loves something else. We would not call that hate, but that is how they expressed it. A person living only to satisfy self will always put self first. True love puts the other person first.

In earlier verses of this passage the prostitute has represented sinful desires as well as the people who follow those desires and the leaders who promote them. Here it appears that she represents only the people in general. This passage tells us that evil human leaders as well as the demons and Satan himself, do not care about the people they convince to follow them; they only care about themselves and their power. Did this refer to Rome? Maybe, maybe not. While Rome was the seat of power and the promoter of corruption in her day, others took her place, for there is always at least one place that can be represented by that symbol, and there are always leaders who fulfill that role. It referred to any place and any person that displays the qualities of self-centeredness, arrogance and lewdness.