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18 After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, the earth was lit up by his splendor. He cried out in a strong voice,

“She has fallen! She has fallen!
Bavel the Great![a]
She has become a home for demons,
a prison for every unclean spirit,
a prison for every unclean, hated bird.

“For all the nations have drunk of the wine
of God’s fury caused by her whoring —
yes, the kings of the earth went whoring with her,
and from her unrestrained love of luxury
the world’s businessmen have grown rich.”

Then I heard another voice out of heaven say:

“My people, come out of her!
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not be infected by her plagues,
for her sins are a sticky mass piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.

“Render to her as she rendered to others!
Pay her back double for what she has done!
Use the cup in which she has brewed
to brew her a double-sized drink!

“Give her as much torment and sorrow
as the glory and luxury she gave herself!
For in her heart she says, ‘I sit a queen —
I am not a widow, I will never see sorrow.’
“Therefore, her plagues will come in a single day —
death, sorrow and famine;
and she will be burned with fire,
because Adonai, God, her Judge, is mighty”

The kings of the earth who went whoring with her and shared her luxury will sob and wail over her when they see the smoke as she burns. 10 Standing at a distance, for fear of her torment, they will say,

“Oh no! The great city!
Bavel, the mighty city!
In a single hour
your judgment has come!”

11 The world’s businessmen weep and mourn over her, because no one is buying their merchandise any more — 12 stocks of gold and silver, gems and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, all rare woods, all ivory goods, all kinds of things made of scented wood, brass, iron and marble; 13 cinnamon, cardamom, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots — and bodies — and people’s souls.

14 The fruits you lusted for with all your heart have gone!
All the luxury and flashiness have been destroyed, never to return!

15 The sellers of these things, who got rich from her, will stand at a distance, for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 and saying,

“Oh no! The great city used to wear fine linen, purple and scarlet!
She glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 Such great wealth —
in a single hour, ruined!”

All the ship masters, passengers, sailors and everyone making his living from the sea stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, “What city was like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, saying,

“Oh no! The great city!
The abundance of her wealth
made all the ship owners rich!
In a single hour she is ruined!”

20 Rejoice over her, heaven!
Rejoice, people of God,
emissaries and prophets!
For in judging her, God has vindicated you.

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying,

“With violence like this
will the great city Bavel
be hurled down,
never to be found again!

22 “The sound of harpists and musicians,
flute-players and trumpeters
    will never again be heard in you.
No worker of any trade
    will ever again be found in you,
the sound of a mill
    will never again be heard in you,
23 the light of a lamp
    will never again shine in you,
the voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never again be heard in you.

“For your businessmen were the most powerful on earth,
all the nations were deceived by your magic spell.

24 “In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s people,
indeed, of all who have ever been slaughtered on earth!”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel(A) coming down from heaven.(B) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.(C) With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a](D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.(F)
For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich(I) from her excessive luxuries.”(J)

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b](K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;(L)
for her sins are piled up to heaven,(M)
    and God has remembered(N) her crimes.
Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back(O) double(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.(Q)
Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
    I will never mourn.’(S)
Therefore in one day(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her(V) and shared her luxury(W) see the smoke of her burning,(X) they will weep and mourn over her.(Y) 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off(Z) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AA)
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour(AB) your doom has come!’

11 “The merchants(AC) of the earth will weep and mourn(AD) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore(AE) 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;(AF) 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.(AG)

14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her(AH) will stand far off,(AI) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn(AJ) 16 and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AK)
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!(AL)
17 In one hour(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’(AN)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,(AO) will stand far off.(AP) 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,(AQ) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city(AR)?’(AS) 19 They will throw dust on their heads,(AT) and with weeping and mourning(AU) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AV)
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’(AW)

20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”(AY)

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

21 Then a mighty angel(AZ) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,(BA) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.(BD)
23 The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.(BF)
    By your magic spell(BG) all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
  2. Revelation 18:4 Jer. 51:45
  3. Revelation 18:7 See Isaiah 47:7,8.