Revelation 18:16

Revelation 18:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
• New International Version (NIV)and cry out: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
• New King James Version (NKJV)and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

Context of Revelation 18:16

14The people who sold these things will say to the city, ‘You have now lost all the good things that you wanted so much. You have lost all those expensive things that made you beautiful. You will never have them again.’ 15The traders had become rich because of the city. But now they will stand a long way from the city because they are afraid. They do not want to suffer in the same way themselves. They will weep and they will be very sad. They will say, ‘Bad trouble has come to you, Babylon! Great city! It is very bad for you! You wore beautiful clothes that were made from good linen. You wore bright things that made you look beautiful. You shone with gold, valuable stones and pearls. 17But in one single hour God has destroyed all those valuable things.’ All the sailors and the people who travel on ships will also be sad. They include every ship's captain, and everyone who works on ships on the sea. They will stand a long way from the city. 18They will see the smoke from the fire that burns the city. Then they will shout, ‘There is no other city like this great city!’

Revelation 18:16 word by word

λέγοντες· οὐαὶ οὐαὶ ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἡ περιβεβλημένη βύσσινον καὶ πορφυροῦν καὶ κόκκινον καὶ κεχρυσωμένη ἐν χρυσίῳ καὶ λίθῳ τιμίῳ καὶ μαργαρίτῃ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Alasοὐαίouai · woe!G3759
• that greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• that was clothedπεριβάλλωperiballō · to clotheG4016
• in fine linenβύσσινοςbussinos · fine linenG1039
• purpleπορφύρεοςporphurous · purpleG4210
• scarletκόκκινοςkokkinos · scarletG2847
• deckedχρυσόωchrusoō · to gildG5558
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• goldχρυσόςchrusos · goldG5557
• preciousτίμιοςtimios · preciousG5093
• stonesλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
• pearlsμαργαρίτηςmargaritēs · pearlG3135

Cross-references for Revelation 18:16

• Revelation 18:10They will stand a long way from the city because they are afraid. They do not want to suffer in the same way. They will say, ‘Terrible trouble has come to you, Babylon! Great city! Powerful city! It is very bad for you! In one single hour God has destroyed you!’
• Revelation 17:4The woman was wearing clothes that were made from expensive cloth. She also wore bright things that made her look beautiful. She shone with gold, valuable stones and pearls. She held a gold cup in her hand. The cup was full of the bad and disgusting things that she had caused people to do.
• Luke 16:19Jesus then said, ‘At one time, there was a rich man who wore very expensive clothes. This rich man ate big meals every day.

Commentaries on Revelation 18:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Clothed in fine linen, and purple, etc. - The verb , which we here translate clothed, signifies often to abound, be enriched, laden with, and is so used by the best Greek writers; see many examples in Kypke. These articles are not to be considered here as personal ornaments, but as articles of trade or merchandise, in which this city trafficked.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And saying, Alas, alas … - notes on Revelation 18:10. That was clothed in fine linen - In the previous description Revelation 18:12-13, these are mentioned as articles of traffic; here the city, under the image of a female, is represented as clothed in the most rich and frivolous of these articles. And purple, and scarlet - See the notes on Revelation 17:3-4. Compare Revelation 18:12 of this chapter. And decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-19Verses 9-19 The mourners had shared Babylon's sensual pleasures, and gained by her wealth and trade. The kings of the earth, whom she flattered into idolatry, allowing them to be tyrannical over their subjects, while obedient to her; and the merchants, those who trafficked for her indulgences, pardons, and honours; these mourn. Babylon's friends partook her sinful pleasures and profits, but are not willing to share her plagues. The spirit of antichrist is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17The merchants would mourn the fall of Rome (see study note on Revelation 18:1–3) because it would permanently end their usual luxuries. Material goods can disappear in an instant.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. And--so Vulgate and Andreas. But A, B, and C omit. decked--literally, "glided." stones ... pearls--Greek, "stone ... pearl." B and Andreas read "pearls." But A and C, "pearl."Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 18:16

• Colors
• Pearl

In the dictionaries

• Precious Stones
• Fill
• Foul
• Mighty
• Stones, Precious
• Thy
• Babylon in the New Testament
• Color; Colors
• Fine
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on Revelation 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings