< Revelation 18 >
1 After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.
After this I saw another angel, descending from heaven, invested with great authority; and the earth was illuminated by his splendour.
2 He shouted with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird, and a prison of every unclean and detestable beast.
With a mighty voice he cried – ‘She has fallen! She has fallen – Babylon the Great! She has become an abode of demons, a stronghold of every wicked spirit, a stronghold of every foul and hateful bird.
3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury."
For, after drinking the maddening wine of her licentiousness, all the nations have fallen; while all the kings of the earth have had licentious intercourse with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich through the excess of her luxury.’
4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues,
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying – ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you may not participate in her sins, and that you may not suffer from the curses inflicted on her.
5 for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities.
For her sins are heaped up to the heavens, and God has not forgotten her misdeeds.
6 Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her double.
Pay her back the treatment with which she has treated you; yes, repay twice over what her actions deserve; in the cup which she mixed for you, mix for her as much again;
7 However much she glorified herself, and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.'
for her self-glorification and her luxury, give her now an equal measure of torture and misery. In her heart she says “I sit here a queen; no widow am I; I will never know misery.”
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire; for the Lord God who has judged her is strong.
Therefore in one day will these curses strike her – death, misery, and famine, and she will be utterly consumed by fire; for mighty is the Lord God who condemned her.’
9 The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,
All the kings of the earth who had licentious intercourse with her and shared her luxury will weep and lament over her, when they see the smoke from the burning city,
10 standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city. For your judgment has come in one hour.'
while they stand at a distance, horrified at her torture, and cry – ‘Alas! Alas! Great city! Mighty city of Babylon! In a single hour your judgment fell.’
11 The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more;
And the merchants of the earth weep and wail over her, because no longer does anyone buy their cargoes –
12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of bronze, and iron, and marble;
their cargoes of gold, or silver, or precious stones, or pearls, or fine linen, or purple robes, or silk, or scarlet cloth; nor their many scented woods; nor their many articles of ivory; nor their many articles of choicest wood, or brass, or iron, or marble;
13 and cinnamon, spice, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, slaves and human lives.
nor their cinnamon, or spice, or incense, or perfumes, or frankincense, or wine, or oil, or fine flour, or wheat, or cattle, or sheep; nor their horses, or chariots, or slaves; nor the bodies and souls of people.
14 The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you, and all things that were luxury and splendor have perished from you, and you will never ever find them again.
The fruit that your soul craved is no longer within your reach, and all dainties and luxuries are lost to you, never to be found again.
15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning;
The merchants who sold these things, and grew rich by her, will stand at a distance weeping and wailing, horrified at her torture, and crying –
16 saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls.
‘Alas! Alas! Great city! City clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet cloth! City adorned with gold ornaments, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away,
In a single hour your vast wealth vanished.’ Every ship’s captain and all who sail to any port, and sailors, and all who get their living from the sea, stood at a distance,
18 and exclaimed as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like the great city?'
and seeing the smoke from the burning city, cried – ‘What city can compare with the Great city?’
19 They cast dust on their heads, and shouting, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth.' For in one hour is she made desolate.
They threw dust on their heads, and, as they wept and wailed, they cried – ‘Alas! Alas! Great city! All who have ships on the sea grew rich through her magnificence. In a single hour it has vanished.’
20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her."
Rejoice over her, heaven, and people of Christ, and apostles, and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!
21 A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.
Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and threw it into the sea, crying – ‘So will Babylon, the great city, be violently overthrown, never more to be seen.
22 The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman, of whatever craft, will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you.
No more will the music of harpers, or minstrels, or flute players, or trumpeters be heard in you, no more will any worker, skilled in any art, be found in you; no more will the sound of a mill be heard in you;
23 The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the great ones of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
no more will the light of a lamp shine in you; no more will the voices of groom and bride be heard in you. Your merchants were the great men of the earth, for all the nations were deceived by your magical charms.’
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth."
Yes, and in her was to be found the blood of the prophets and of Christ’s people, and of all who have been put to death on the earth.