Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her(A) and shared her luxury(B) see the smoke of her burning,(C) they will weep and mourn over her.(D) 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off(E) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(F)
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour(G) your doom has come!’

11 “The merchants(H) of the earth will weep and mourn(I) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore(J) 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;(K) 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.(L)

14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her(M) will stand far off,(N) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn(O) 16 and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(P)
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!(Q)
17 In one hour(R) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’(S)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,(T) will stand far off.(U) 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,(V) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city(W)?’(X) 19 They will throw dust on their heads,(Y) and with weeping and mourning(Z) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AA)
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’(AB)

20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!(AC)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”(AD)

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Grief over Babylon

“And (A)the kings of the earth, who committed acts of sexual immorality and (B)lived luxuriously with her, will (C)weep and mourn over her when they (D)see the smoke of her burning, 10 (E)standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘(F)Woe, woe, (G)the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in (H)one hour your judgment has come.’

11 “And the (I)merchants of the earth (J)weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any more— 12 cargo of (K)gold, silver, precious [a]stones, 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, [b]bronze, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, [c]spice, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, and cargo of horses, carriages, [d]slaves, and (L)human lives. 14 The fruit [e]you 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. 15 The (M)merchants of (N)these things, who became rich from her, will (O)stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying, ‘(P)Woe, woe, (Q)the great city, she who (R)was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and [f]adorned with gold, precious [g]stones, and pearls; 17 for in (S)one hour such great wealth has been laid (T)waste!’ And (U)every shipmaster and every [h]passenger and sailor, and all who [i]make their living by the sea, (V)stood at a distance, 18 and were (W)crying out as they (X)saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘(Y)What city is like (Z)the great city?’ 19 And they threw (AA)dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘(AB)Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea (AC)became rich from her prosperity, for in (AD)one hour she has been laid (AE)waste!’ 20 (AF)Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [j]saints and (AG)apostles and prophets, because (AH)God has [k]pronounced judgment for you against her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:12 Lit stone
  2. Revelation 18:12 Or brass
  3. Revelation 18:13 Gr amomon, an Indian spice plant
  4. Revelation 18:13 Lit bodies
  5. Revelation 18:14 Lit of your soul’s desire
  6. Revelation 18:16 Lit gilded
  7. Revelation 18:16 Lit stone and pearl
  8. Revelation 18:17 Lit one who sails to a place
  9. Revelation 18:17 Lit work the sea
  10. Revelation 18:20 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  11. Revelation 18:20 Lit judged your judgment of her

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

17 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,

18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

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and weep over her, and smite themselves for her, shall the kings of the earth, who with her did commit whoredom and did revel, when they may see the smoke of her burning,

10 from afar having stood because of the fear of her torment, saying, Wo, wo, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! because in one hour did come thy judgment.

11 `And the merchants of the earth shall weep and sorrow over her, because their lading no one doth buy any more;

12 lading of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearl, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyne wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble,

13 and cinnamon, and odours, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies and souls of men.

14 `And the fruits of the desire of thy soul did go away from thee, and all things -- the dainty and the bright -- did go away from thee, and no more at all mayest thou find them.

15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, far off shall stand because of the fear of her torment, weeping, and sorrowing,

16 and saying, Wo, wo, the great city, that was arrayed with fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded in gold, and precious stone, and pearls -- because in one hour so much riches were made waste!

17 `And every shipmaster, and all the company upon the ships, and sailors, and as many as work the sea, far off stood,

18 and were crying, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like to the great city?

19 and they did cast dust upon their heads, and were crying out, weeping and sorrowing, saying, Wo, wo, the great city! in which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness -- for in one hour was she made waste.

20 `Be glad over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, because God did judge your judgment of her!'

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