< Revelation 18 >
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, who had great authority; and the earth was illumined by his glory.
2 He shouted with a mighty cry, saying. "She is fallen! She is fallen, Babylon the great! Now she is a dwelling-place of demons, A stronghold of every foul spirit, A stronghold of every foul and hateful bird.
3 For all nations, having drunk the wine of the frenzy of her fornication, are fallen; And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, And the merchants of the earth have grown rich by the power of her wantonness."
4 And behold I heard another voice from heaven saying. "Come out of her, that you have no fellowship with her sins, And that you receive not her plagues.
5 For her sins have been heaped to heaven, And God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Render to her what she rendered; Yes, pay double what her deeds deserve. In the cup she mixed, mix double for her.
7 By so much as she glorified herself and waxed wanton, By so much give her of torture and tears, For she says in her heart, ‘I sit here a queen, I am no widow. I shall in no wise see mourning.’
8 Therefore in one day shall these plagues come upon her, Death and mourning and famine, And she shall be burnt with fire; For mighty is the Lord God, her judge.
9 And the kings of the earth who committed fornication And lived wantonly with her, Will weep and wail over her, When they behold the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city Babylon, the strong city! In one hour is your judgment come!’
11 "And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, For no one buys their merchandise any more -
12 Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones, Of pearls, and fine linen, and purple and silk and scarlet; All citron wood, and vessels of ivory, And vessels of rare wood and brass and iron and marble;
13 Cinnamon and balsam and spices and myrrh and frankincense; Wine and oil and fine flour and wheat; Cattle and sheep, and horses and chariots, And slaves, and the souls of men.
14 And the fruits which your soul lusted for are gone from you, And all things that were dainty and sumptuous are perished from you, And men shall find them nevermore.
15 "The traders in those things, who were enriched by her, shall stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
16 saying. "‘Woe, woe, the great city! She who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, And adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour so great riches is made desolate!" And every shipmaster and every one who sails to any port, And sailors, and all seafaring folk,
18 Stood at a distance, and as they saw the smoke from the burning city, cried, "‘What city can compare with the great city?’
19 And they threw dust on their heads, and cried out, Weeping and mourning, saying, "‘Woe, woe, the great city, In which all who have ships on the sea Grew rich through her luxury! For in one hour she is made desolate!’"
20 Rejoice over her, O Heaven! Rejoice, ye saints, apostles, prophets! For God has now avenged you.
21 Then a mighty angel lifted a boulder like a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying, "So shall Babylon, the great city, be overthrown with a mighty fall, And shall be found no more at all.
22 No more shall the voice of harpers and minstrels, flute-players and trumpeters Be heard in you. No more shall any craftsman of any craft Be found at all in you. No more shall the sound of a millstone be heard at all in you.
23 No light of a lamp shall ever shine in you again; And in you shall the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride be heard no more. For your merchants were the princes of the earth; And with your sorcery were all the nations deceived;
24 And in you was found the blood of prophets and of saints, And of all who have been slain upon the earth."
