English Standard Version
Revelation 18:21
21Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more;
Revelation 18:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
- New International Version (NIV)Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.
Context of Revelation 18:21
19And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, "Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. 20Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!" Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; 22and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, 23and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
Read all of Revelation 18Revelation 18:21 word by word
Καὶ ἦρεν εἷς ἄγγελος ἰσχυρὸς λίθον ὡς μύλινον μέγαν καὶ ἔβαλεν εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν λέγων· οὕτως ὁρμήματι βληθήσεται Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη πόλις καὶ οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ἔτι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- aεἷςheis · oneG1520
- mightyἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
- angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- took upαἴρωairō · to take upG142
- a stoneλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
- likeὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- millstoneμύλοςmulos · millstoneG3458
- castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Thusοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- with violenceὅρμημαhormēma · sudden violenceG3731
- cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- BabylonΒαβυλώνBabulōn · BabylonG897
- shall be foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- noοὐou · noG3756
- moreἔτιeti · stillG2089
- at allμήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for Revelation 18:21
- Exodus 15:5The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone.
- Nehemiah 9:11And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters.
- Jeremiah 51:63When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates,
- Revelation 18:22and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more,
- Revelation 12:8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
- Revelation 16:20And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.
- Revelation 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
- Job 20:8He will fly away like a dream and not be found; he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
- Psalms 37:36But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
- Ezekiel 26:21I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord God."
- Daniel 11:19Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
Commentaries on Revelation 18:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down - This action is finely and forcibly expressed by the original words: ̔ ̔ ̔ . The millstone will in falling have not only an accelerated force from the law of gravitation, but that force will be greatly increased by the projectile force impressed upon it by the power of the destroying angel. Shall be found no more at all - In her government, consequence, or influence. This is true of ancient…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And a mighty angel - See the notes on Revelation 18:1. This seems, however, to have been a different angel from the one mentioned in Revelation 18:1, though, like that, he is described as having great power. Took up a stone like a great millstone - On the structure of mills among the ancients see the notes on Matthew 24:41. And cast it into the sea - As an emblem of the utter ruin of the city; an indication that the city would be as completely destroyed…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-24Verses 20-24 That which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God on earth, is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. The apostles, who are honoured and daily worshipped at Rome in an idolatrous manner, will rejoice in her fall. The fall of Babylon was an act of God's justice. And because it was a final ruin, this enemy should never molest them any more; of this they were assured by a sign. Let us take warning from the things which brought…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21a stone the size of a great millstone: People used heavy millstones, shaped for grinding olives or grain, throughout the ancient world. Jesus also mentioned using such stones for judgment (see Matthew 18:6). The dramatically thrown boulder symbolized that Rome's power was permanently destroyed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. a--Greek, "one." millstone--Compare the judgment on the Egyptian hosts at the Red Sea, Ex 15:5, 10; Ne 9:11, and the foretold doom of Babylon, the world power, Jr 51:63, 64. with violence--Greek, "with impetus." This verse shows that this prophecy is regarded as still to be fulfilled.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries