Revelation 18

Babylon Is Fallen

1After these things I saw another 1angel 2coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was 3illuminated from 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 have fallen because of the 10wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and 11the kings of the earth have committed acts of sexual immorality with her, and the 12merchants of the earth have become rich from the 13excessive wealth of her 1415luxury.”

4I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “16Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive any of her plagues; 5for her sins have 1718piled up as high as heaven, and God has 19remembered her offenses. 620Pay her back even as she has paid, and 21give back to her double according to her deeds; in the 22cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. 723To the extent that she glorified herself and 24lived luxuriously, to the same extent give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘25I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ 8For this reason 26in one day her plagues will come, 27plague and mourning and famine, and she will be 28burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her 29is strong.

Grief over Babylon

9“And 30the kings of the earth, who committed acts of sexual immorality and 31lived luxuriously with her, will 32weep and mourn over her when they 33see the smoke of her burning, 1034standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘35Woe, woe, 36the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in 37one hour your judgment has come.’

11“And the 38merchants of the earth 39weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any more-- 12cargo of 40gold, silver, precious 41stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; every kind of citron wood, every article of ivory, and every article made from very valuable wood, 42bronze, iron, and marble; 13cinnamon, 43spice, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, and cargo of horses, carriages, 44slaves, and 45human lives. 14The fruit 46you long for has left you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and people will no longer find them. 15The 47merchants of 48these things, who became rich from her, will 49stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying, ‘50Woe, woe, 51the great city, she who 52was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and 53adorned with gold, precious 54stones, and pearls; 17for in 55one hour such great wealth has been laid 56waste!’ And 57every shipmaster and every 58passenger and sailor, and all who 59make their living by the sea, 60stood at a distance, 18and were 61crying out as they 62saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘63What city is like 64the great city?’ 19And they threw 65dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘66Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea 67became rich from her prosperity, for in 68one hour she has been laid 69waste!’ 2070Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you 71saints and 72apostles and prophets, because 73God has 74pronounced judgment for you against her.”

21Then 75a 76strong angel 77picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, 78the great city, be thrown down with violence, and 79will never be found again. 22And 80the sound of harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again; and no craftsman of any craft will ever be found in you again; and the 81sound of a mill will never be heard in you again; 23and the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the 82voice of the groom and bride will never be heard in you again; for your 83merchants were the powerful people of the earth, because all the nations were deceived 84by your witchcraft. 24And in her was found the 85blood of prophets and of 86saints, and of 87all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”