巴比伦的下场

18 之后,我看见另一位执掌大权的天使从天降下,他的荣光照亮了大地。 他用强有力的声音喊着说:

“巴比伦大城倒塌了!倒塌了!
她成了鬼魔的住处、
各样污鬼的监狱和一切可憎的不洁鸟兽的牢笼!
因为列国都被她荒淫的烈酒灌醉了。
地上的君王曾经与她通奸,
地上的商人也因她穷奢极侈的生活而发了财。”

我听见天上又有一个声音说:

“我的子民啊,离开那城,
以免沾染她的罪恶,
受她所受的灾祸。
因为她已经罪恶滔天,
上帝没有忘记她一切的不义。
她怎样待人,
你们也要怎样待她,
要按她所做的加倍地报应她,
用她调酒的杯加倍地调给她喝。
她过去怎样自炫自耀、
奢华荒淫,
现在也要让她怎样痛苦哀伤。
因为她心里说,
‘我贵为女王,不是寡妇,
绝不会经历哀伤。’
所以在一天之内,
她的灾祸,就是死亡、
哀伤和饥荒要同时临到她身上。
她要被火烧尽,
因为审判她的主上帝能力伟大。

“那些曾与她通奸享乐的君王目睹焚烧她的烟,必为她哭泣哀号。 10 他们对她所受的灾祸充满恐惧,就远远地站着说,

“‘强大坚固的巴比伦城啊,
真悲惨!真悲惨!
因为审判顷刻间临到你了。’

11 “地上的商人也为她哀伤,因为再也没有人购买他们的货物了。 12 他们的金、银、宝石、珍珠、细麻布、紫布、丝绸、朱红布、各样香木、象牙器具,贵重木材、铜、铁、大理石制品, 13 以及肉桂、豆蔻、香料、香膏、乳香、酒、油、细面粉、小麦、牛、羊、马、车、仆婢和人口都没有人购买了。 14 他们呼喊,‘巴比伦啊!你贪爱的美物已离你而去了,一切珍馐百味、奢侈华丽的东西都消失殆尽,无影无踪。’

15 “靠贩卖这些货物给她而致富的商人对她所受的灾祸充满恐惧,就站在远处为她哀伤哭号, 16 说,‘身穿紫色和朱红色的细麻布衣服,以黄金、宝石、珍珠为装饰的大城啊,真悲惨!真悲惨! 17 因为顷刻间你这一切的繁华都化为乌有了。’所有船主、乘客、水手及靠海为生的人都远远地站着, 18 看见烧她的烟,就说,‘有哪一座城能与她相比呢?’ 19 他们又把尘土撒在头上,哀伤哭泣,喊着说,

“‘这大城啊,真悲惨!真悲惨!
所有经营航运的都因她的奢华而发了财,
可是顷刻间她却沦为废墟了!’
20 上天啊,
众圣徒、众使徒和众先知啊,
为她的下场欢乐吧!
因为上帝已经向她施行报应,
为你们申冤了。”

21 这时,有一位大力天使举起一块像大磨石的石头扔进海里,说:

“巴比伦大城也必这样被用力扔下去,
消失得无影无踪。
22 在你那里,
再也听不见弹琴作乐、
鸣笛吹号的声音了,
再也找不到能工巧匠了,
再也听不到推磨的声音了,
23 再也看不到闪耀的灯光了,
再也听不见新婚夫妇的欢笑声了。
因为你的商人曾经趾高气扬,
你的邪术曾经迷惑万国,
24 你的城墙内流满了众先知、
众圣徒和地上一切被杀之人的血。”

18 After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a [a]hold of every unclean spirit, and a [b]hold of every unclean and hateful bird. For [c]by [d]the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her [e]wantonness.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: for her sins [f]have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double. How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed [g]wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning. Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is [h]the Lord God who judged her. And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived [i]wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning, 10 standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their [j]merchandise any more; 12 [k]merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet; and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon, and [l]spice, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep; and merchandise of horses and chariots and [m]slaves; and [n]souls of men. 14 And the fruits which thy soul lusted after are gone from thee, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous are perished from thee, and men shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning; 16 saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and [o]decked with gold and precious stone and pearl! 17 for in one hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that saileth any whither, and mariners, and as many as [p]gain their living by sea, stood afar off, 18 and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city? 19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.

21 And [q]a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all. 22 And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, [r]of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 and the light of a lamp 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 princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:2 Or, prison
  2. Revelation 18:2 Or, prison
  3. Revelation 18:3 Some authorities read of the wine . . . have drunk.
  4. Revelation 18:3 Some ancient authorities omit the wine of.
  5. Revelation 18:3 Or, luxury
  6. Revelation 18:5 Or, clave together
  7. Revelation 18:7 Or, luxurious
  8. Revelation 18:8 Some ancient authorities omit the Lord.
  9. Revelation 18:9 Or, luxuriously
  10. Revelation 18:11 Greek cargo.
  11. Revelation 18:12 Greek cargo.
  12. Revelation 18:13 Greek amomum.
  13. Revelation 18:13 Greek bodies. Gen. 36:6 (Septuagint).
  14. Revelation 18:13 Or, lives
  15. Revelation 18:16 Greek gilded.
  16. Revelation 18:17 Greek work the sea.
  17. Revelation 18:21 Greek one.
  18. Revelation 18:22 Some ancient authorities omit of whatsoever craft.