Revelation 18

Babylon Is Fallen

1After these things I saw another 1angel 2coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was 3illumined with his glory. 2And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “45Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She 6has become a dwelling place of demons and a 7prison of every 8unclean spirit, and a 9prison of every unclean and hateful bird. 3For all the nations 10have drunk of the 11wine of the 12passion of her immorality, and 13the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the 14merchants of the earth have become rich by the 15wealth of her 1617sensuality.”

4I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “18Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5for her sins have 1920piled up as high as heaven, and God has 21remembered her iniquities. 622Pay her back even as she has paid, and 23give back to her double according to her deeds; in the 24cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. 725To the degree that she glorified herself and 26lived 27sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘28I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ 8For this reason 29in one day her plagues will come, 30pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be 31burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her 32is strong.

Lament for Babylon

9“And 33the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and 34lived 35sensuously with her, will 36weep and lament over her when they 37see the smoke of her burning, 1038standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘39Woe, woe, 40the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in 41one hour your judgment has come.’

11“And the 42merchants of the earth 43weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more-- 12cargoes of 44gold and silver and precious 45stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and 46bronze and iron and marble, 13and cinnamon and 47spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and 48slaves and 4950human lives. 14The fruit 51you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. 15The 52merchants of 53these things, who became rich from her, will 54stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying, ‘55Woe, woe, 56the great city, she who 57was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and 58adorned with gold and precious 59stones and pearls; 17for in 60one hour such great wealth has been laid 61waste!’ And 62every shipmaster and every 63passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, 64stood at a distance, 18and were 65crying out as they 66saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘67What city is like 68the great city?’ 19And they threw 69dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘70Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea 71became rich by her 72wealth, for in 73one hour she has been laid 74waste!’ 2075Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you 76saints and 77apostles and prophets, because 78God has 79pronounced judgment for you against her.”

21Then 80a 81strong angel 82took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, 83the great city, be thrown down with violence, and 84will not be found any longer. 22And 85the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the 86sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; 23and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the 87voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your 88merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived 89by your sorcery. 24And in her was found the 90blood of prophets and of 91saints and of 92all who have been slain on the earth.”