New English Translation
Revelation 18:23
23Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations were deceived by your magic spells!
Revelation 18:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
- New International Version (NIV)The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
Context of Revelation 18:23
21Then one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said, “With this kind of sudden violent force Babylon the great city will be thrown down and it will never be found again! 22And the sound of the harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again. No craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again; the noise of a mill will never be heard in you again. Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations were deceived by your magic spells! 24The blood of the saints and prophets was found in her, along with the blood of all those who had been killed on the earth.”
Read all of Revelation 18Revelation 18:23 word by word
καὶ φῶς λύχνου οὐ μὴ φάνῃ ἐν σοὶ ἔτι, καὶ φωνὴ νυμφίου καὶ νύμφης οὐ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ ἐν σοὶ ἔτι, ὅτι οἱ ἔμποροί σου ἦσαν οἱ μεγιστᾶνες τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
- of a candleλύχνοςluchnos · lampG3088
- shall shineφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
- noοὐou · noG3756
- moreἔτιeti · stillG2089
- at allμήmē · notG3361
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- the voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
- of the bridegroomνυμφίοςnumphios · bridegroomG3566
- of the brideνύμφηnumphē · brideG3565
- shall be heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- merchantsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- merchantsἔμποροςemporos · trader/merchantG1713
- wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the great menμεγιστάνmegistanes · great manG3175
- of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- sorceriesφαρμακείαpharmakeia · sorceryG5331
- wereπλανάωplanaō · to lead astrayG4105
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
Cross-references for Revelation 18:23
- Revelation 22:5Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
- Job 21:17“How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished? How often does their misfortune come upon them? How often does God apportion pain to them in his anger?
- Proverbs 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.
- Proverbs 24:20for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
- Revelation 18:22And the sound of the harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again. No craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again; the noise of a mill will never be heard in you again.
- Revelation 18:3For all the nations have fallen from the wine of her immoral passion, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have gotten rich from the power of her sensual behavior.”
- Isaiah 23:8Who planned this for royal Tyre, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the dignitaries of the earth?
- Ezekiel 27:24They traded with you choice garments, purple clothes and embroidered work, and multicolored carpets, bound and reinforced with cords; these were among your merchandise.
- Revelation 12:9So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.
- Revelation 13:13He performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people
- Revelation 17:2with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.”
- Revelation 21:8But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”
- Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood!
- 2 Kings 9:22When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?”
- Isaiah 47:9Both of these will come upon you suddenly, in one day! You will lose your children and be widowed. You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, despite your many incantations and your numerous amulets.
- Nahum 3:4“Because you have acted like a wanton prostitute – a seductive mistress who practices sorcery, who enslaves nations by her harlotry, and entices peoples by her sorcery –
Commentaries on Revelation 18:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23By thy sorceries - Political arts, state tricks, counterfeit miracles, and deceptive maneuvers of every kind. This may be spoken of many great cities of the world, which still continue to flourish!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee - Another image of desolation, as if every light were put out, and there were total darkness. And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee - The merry and cheerful voice of the marriage procession in the streets (notes on Matthew 25:1-7), or the cheerful, glad voice of the newly-married couple in their own dwelling (notes on John 3:29). For thy merchants…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. 23Compare Jeremiah 25:10–11.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. What a blessed contrast is Re 22:5, respecting the city of God: "They need no candle (just as Babylon shall no more have the light of a candle, but for a widely different reason), for the Lord God giveth them light." candle--Translate as Greek, "lamp." bridegroom ... bride ... no more ... in thee--Contrast the heavenly city, with its Bridegroom, Bride, and blessed marriage supper (Re 19:7, 9; 21:2, 9; Is 62:4, 5). thy merchants were--So most of the…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 18:23
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
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