Berean Standard Bible

Revelation 18:7-23

7As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’8Therefore her plagues will come in one day— death and grief and famine— and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

9Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.1 10In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out:

“Woe, woe to the great city,the mighty city of Babylon!For in a single houryour judgment has come.”

11And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— 12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves. 14And they will say:2

“The fruit of your soul’s desirehas departed from you;all your luxury and splendor have vanished,never to be seen again.”

15The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn, 16saying:

“Woe, woe to the great city,clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet,adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!17For in a single hoursuch fabulous wealth has been destroyed!”

Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance 18and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.

19Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out:

“Woe, woe to the great city,where all who had ships on the seawere enriched by her wealth!For in a single hourshe has been destroyed.”

20Rejoice over her, O heaven,and you saints and apostles and prophets,because God has pronounced for youHis judgment against her.

21Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying:

“With such violencethe great city of Babylon will be cast down,never to be seen again.22And the sound of harpists and musicians,of flute players and trumpeters,will never ring out in you again.Nor will any craftsmen of any tradebe found in you again,nor the sound of a millstonebe heard in you again.23The light of a lampwill never shine in you again,and the voices of a bride and bridegroomwill never call out in you again.For your merchants were the great ones of the earth,because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”

Read all of Revelation 18

Notes

1. Revelation 18:9 Literally when they see the smoke of her burning; also in verse 18 ↩
2. Revelation 18:14 Literally And: ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Revelation 18