Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels^(A) who had the seven bowls^(B) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment^(C) of the great prostitute,^(D) who sits by many waters.^(E)

¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, “The waters^(A) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.^(B)

³⁶ Therefore this is what the Lord says:

¹³ So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy^(A) both them and the earth.^(B)

¹⁹ They will throw dust on their heads,^(A) and with weeping and mourning^(B) cry out:

¹¹ “The merchants^(A) of the earth will weep and mourn^(B) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore^(C)— 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;^{(D) 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.^(E)

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^(F) will stand far off,^(G) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn^{(H) 16} and cry out:

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,^(M) will stand far off.^(N)

¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;^(A) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;^(B) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.^(C)

¹² These people are blemishes at your love feasts,^(D) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.^(E) They are clouds without rain,^(F) blown along by the wind;^(G) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted^(H)—twice dead. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea,^(I) foaming up their shame;^(J) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.^(K)