³ For all the nations ^(A)have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, ^(B)and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the ^[a]abundance of her luxury.”

^2 (A)with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and ^(B)the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

⁸ And another angel followed, saying, ^(A)“Babylon^[a] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because ^(B)she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

^9 (A)“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her ^(B)will weep and lament for her, ^(C)when they see the smoke of her burning,

^23 (A)The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, ^(B)and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For ^(C)your merchants were the great men of the earth, ^(D)for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

¹¹ “And ^(A)the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: ^12 (B)merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; ¹³ and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and ^(C)souls of men. ¹⁴ The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have ^[a]gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. ¹⁵ The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, ¹⁶ and saying, ‘Alas, alas, ^(D)that great city ^(E)that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! ^17 (F)For in one hour such great riches ^[b]came to nothing.’ ^(G)Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

Destructive Doctrines

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be ^(A)false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction ^[a]does not slumber.