Revelation 18:17

Revelation 18:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
• New International Version (NIV)In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’ “Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste." And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off
• New King James Version (NKJV)For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

Context of Revelation 18:17

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. 16They 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. But 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!’ 19They will throw dirt from the ground on their heads because they are so sad. They will weep and they will shout, ‘Bad trouble has come to you, Babylon! Great city! It is very bad for you! Everyone who had ships on the sea became rich because of you. You used your money to buy their expensive things. But in one single hour God has destroyed that city.’

Revelation 18:17 word by word

ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος.¶ Καὶ πᾶς κυβερνήτης καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἐπὶ τόπον πλέων καὶ ναῦται καὶ ὅσοι τὴν θάλασσαν ἐργάζονται ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔστησανRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• in oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
• so greatτοσοῦτοςtosoutos · so greatG5118
• richesπλοῦτοςploutos · richesG4149
• is come to noughtἐρημόωerēmoō · to lay wasteG2049
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• shipmasterκυβερνήτηςkubernētēs · captainG2942
• the companyὅμιλοςhomilos · crowdG3658
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• shipsπλοῖονploion · boatG4143
• sailorsναύτηςnautēs · sailorG3492
• as many asὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• trade byἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• afarμακρόθενmakrothen · from afarG3113
• offἀπόapo · away fromG575

Cross-references for Revelation 18:17

• 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!’
• Isaiah 47:9But both of those things will happen to you! They will happen suddenly, in only one day. You will lose your children and you will become a widow. All these troubles will come to hurt you. You can use all your powerful magic but you will not stop this trouble!
• Jeremiah 51:8But now Babylon will quickly fall. An enemy will destroy it, so weep for it! Find some medicine that will make its wounds better. Perhaps it will become well again.
• Lamentations 4:6God has punished my people. He punished us more than he punished Sodom's people. God destroyed that city in a moment, and nobody was there to help them.
• Revelation 18:11The traders of this world will also be very sad. They will weep because nobody will buy their things any more.
• Isaiah 23:14So weep aloud, you great ships of Tarshish. Enemies have destroyed your strong place.
• Ezekiel 27:27All your valuable things and your riches will fall into the deep sea. All your sailors, your captains, your traders and your soldiers will also fall into the sea. Yes, everyone in you will drown in the sea on that day when you break into pieces.
• Jonah 1:6The ship's captain went to Jonah. He said, ‘Why are you sleeping like that? Get up now! Call to your god for help! Maybe he will listen to us and we will not die.’

Commentaries on Revelation 18:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Every shipmaster - Captains of vessels; some think pilots are meant, and this is most likely to be the meaning of the original word . This description appears to be at least partly taken from Ezekiel 27:26-28. And all the company in ships - ̔ ̔· The crowd or passengers aboard. But the best MSS, and versions have ̔ , those who sail from place to place, or such as stop at particular places on the coast, without performing the whole voyage. This sufficiently…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For in one hour - In a very brief period - so short, that it seemed to them to be but one hour. In the prediction Revelation 18:8, it is said that it would be “in one day” (see the notes on that place); here it is said that, to the on-lookers, it seemed to be but an hour. There is no inconsistency, therefore, between the two statements. So great riches is come to nought - All the accumulated wealth of so great and rich a city. This should have been united…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. 17-19every shipmaster: Seafarers sing the third lament (see study note on Revelation 18:9–19). They mourn the breakdown of communication and transportation. During Julius Caesar's reign, the Mediterranean was cleared of pirates, and trade flourished under Roman law enforcement. The quick loss of Roman authority would disrupt the trade system.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. is come to naught--Greek, "is desolated." shipmaster--Greek, "steersman," or "pilot." all the company in ships--A, C, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "Every one who saileth to a place" (B has "... to the place"), every voyager. Vessels were freighted with pilgrims to various shrines, so that in one month (A.D. 1300) two hundred thousand pilgrims were counted in Rome [D'Aaubigne, Histoire de la Reformation]: a source of gain, not only to the Papal see, but…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Fill
• Foul
• Mighty
• Thy
• Babylon in the New Testament
• Israel, History of
• Israel, Religion of
• Judges, Period of
• Lively; Living
• Maccabees, Books 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