Revelation 15-18

Christian Standard Bible

Preparation for the Bowl Judgments

15 Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign^[a] in heaven:^(A) seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed.^{(B) 2} I also saw something like a sea of glass^(C) mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, its image,^[b] and the number of its name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.^{(D) 3} They sang the song of God’s servant Moses^(E) and the song of the Lamb:

⁵ After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony^(J)—was opened.^{(K) 6} Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. ⁷ One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.^{(L) 8} Then the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power,^(M) and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

The First Bowl

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels,^(N) “Go and pour out the seven^[d] bowls^(O) of God’s wrath on the earth.” ² The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores^(P) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.

The Second Bowl

³ The second^[e] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died.^(Q)

The Third Bowl

⁴ The third^[f] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.^{(R) 5} I heard the angel of the waters say,

⁷ I heard the altar say,

The Fourth Bowl

⁸ The fourth^[g] poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch people with fire, ⁹ and people were scorched by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,^(X) who has the power^[h] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.^(Y)

The Fifth Bowl

¹⁰ The fifth^[i] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,^(Z) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.^(AA) People^[j] gnawed their tongues because of their pain ¹¹ and blasphemed the God of heaven^(AB) because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.

The Sixth Bowl

¹² The sixth^[k] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,^(AC) and its water was dried up^(AD) to prepare the way for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs^(AE) coming from the dragon’s mouth,^(AF) from the beast’s mouth,^(AG) and from the mouth of the false prophet.^{(AH) 14} For they are demonic spirits performing signs,^(AI) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them^(AJ) for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty.^{(AK) 15} “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed^(AL) is the one who is alert and remains clothed^[l](AM) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.”^{(AN) 16} So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.^[m](AO)

The Seventh Bowl

¹⁷ Then the seventh^[n] poured out his bowl into the air,^[o] and a loud voice came out of the temple^[p](AP) from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since people have been on the earth, so great was the quake.^{(AQ) 19} The great city^(AR) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations^[q] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger.^{(AS) 20} Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.^{(AT) 21} Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,^[r] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God^(AU) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.^(AV)

The Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls^(AW) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute^[s](AX) who is seated on many^[t] waters.^{(AY) 2} The kings of the earth^(AZ) committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.”^{(BA) 3} Then he carried me away in the Spirit^[u](BB) to a wilderness.

I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered^[v] with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.^{(BC) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls.^(BD) She had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable^(BE) and with the impurities of her^[w] prostitution. ⁵ On her forehead was written a name, a mystery:^(BF) Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. ⁶ Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.^(BG) When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

The Meaning of the Woman and of the Beast

⁷ Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss^(BH) and go to destruction.^(BI) Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world^(BJ) will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.^{(BK) 9} This calls for a mind that has wisdom.^[x](BL)

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings: ¹⁰ Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. ¹² The ten horns you saw are ten kings^(BM) who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.^{(BN) 13} These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings.^(BO) Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”^(BP)

¹⁵ He also said to me, “The waters you saw,^(BQ) where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.^{(BR) 16} The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute.^(BS) They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.^{(BT) 17} For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose^(BU) and to give their kingdom^[y] to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.^{(BV) 18} And the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”

The Fall of Babylon the Great

18 After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven,^(BW) and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. ² He called out in a mighty voice:

⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven:

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

⁹ The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand far off in fear of her torment,^(CM) saying,

¹¹ The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any longer— ¹² cargo of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass,^[ae] iron, and marble; ¹³ cinnamon, spice,^[af] incense, myrrh,^[ag] and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves—human lives.^(CO)

¹⁵ The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, ¹⁶ saying,

And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off ¹⁸ as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out, “Who was like the great city?” ^{(CQ) 19} They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning,^(CR)

The Finality of Babylon’s Fall

²¹ Then a mighty angel^(CV) picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,