Revelation 18:9-20
New Living Translation
9 And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. 10 They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out,
“How terrible, how terrible for you,
O Babylon, you great city!
In a single moment
God’s judgment came on you.”
11 The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. 12 She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. 13 She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, and bodies—that is, human slaves.
14 “The fancy things you loved so much
are gone,” they cry.
“All your luxuries and splendor
are gone forever,
never to be yours again.”
15 The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out,
16 “How terrible, how terrible for that great city!
She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens,
decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17 In a single moment
all the wealth of the city is gone!”
And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. 18 They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” 19 And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out,
“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!
The shipowners became wealthy
by transporting her great wealth on the seas.
In a single moment it is all gone.”
20 Rejoice over her fate, O heaven
and people of God and apostles and prophets!
For at last God has judged her
for your sakes.
Revelation 18:9-20
Amplified Bible
Laments for Babylon
9 “[a]And the kings and political leaders of the earth, who committed immorality and lived luxuriously with her, will weep and beat their chests [in mourning] over her when they see the smoke of her burning,(A) 10 standing a long way off, in fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, the strong city, Babylon! In a single hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And merchants of the earth will weep and grieve over her, because no one buys their cargo (goods, merchandise) anymore—(B) 12 cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet; all kinds of citron (scented) wood and every article of ivory and every article of very costly and lavish wood and bronze and iron and marble;(C) 13 and cinnamon and spices and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat; of cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and carriages; and of slaves and human lives. 14 The ripe fruits and delicacies of your soul’s desire have gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and extravagant are lost to you, never again to be found. 15 The merchants who handled these articles, who grew wealthy from [their business with] her, will stand a long way off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, 16 saying, ‘Woe, woe, for the great city that was robed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, gilded and adorned with gold, with precious stones, and with pearls;(D) 17 because in one hour all the vast wealth has been laid waste.’ And every ship captain or navigator, and every [b]passenger and sailor, and all who make their living by the sea, stood a long way off,(E) 18 and exclaimed as they watched the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What could be compared to the great city?’ 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, for the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich from her great wealth, because in one hour she has been laid waste!’(F) 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints (God’s people) and apostles and prophets [who were martyred], because God has executed vengeance for you [through righteous judgment] upon her.”(G)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Revelation 18:9 In the following verses, the kings (vv 9, 10), merchants (vv 11-17), and sailors (vv 17b-20) mourn the fall of Babylon, just as the same three groups mourn the fall of wicked Tyre in Ezek 26; 27.
- Revelation 18:17 Lit one who sails to a place.
Revelation 18:9-20
The Message
9-10 “The kings of the earth will see the smoke of her burning, and they’ll cry and carry on, the kings who went night after night to her brothel. They’ll keep their distance for fear they’ll get burned, and they’ll cry their lament:
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
City of Babylon, strong city!
In one hour it’s over, your judgment come!
11-17 “The traders will cry and carry on because the bottom dropped out of business, no more market for their goods: gold, silver, precious gems, pearls; fabrics of fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet; perfumed wood and vessels of ivory, precious woods, bronze, iron, and marble; cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat; cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. And slaves—their terrible traffic in human lives.
Everything you’ve lived for, gone!
All delicate and delectable luxury, lost!
Not a scrap, not a thread to be found!
“The traders who made millions off her kept their distance for fear of getting burned, and cried and carried on all the more:
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
Dressed in the latest fashions,
adorned with the finest jewels,
in one hour such wealth wiped out!
17-19 “All the ship captains and travelers by sea, sailors and toilers of the sea, stood off at a distance and cried their lament when they saw the smoke from her burning: ‘Oh, what a city! There was never a city like her!’ They threw dust on their heads and cried as if the world had come to an end:
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
All who owned ships or did business by sea
Got rich on her getting and spending.
And now it’s over—wiped out in one hour!
20 “O Heaven, celebrate! And join in, saints, apostles, and prophets! God has judged her; every wrong you suffered from her has been judged.”
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Revelation 18:9-20
English Standard Version
9 And (A)the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, (B)will weep and wail over her (C)when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 (D)They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! (E)You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For (F)in a single hour your judgment has come.”
11 And (G)the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.[a]
14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15 (H)The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, (I)will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
(J)that was clothed in fine linen,
in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For (K)in a single hour all this wealth (L)has been laid waste.”
And (M)all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and (N)cried out (O)as they saw the smoke of her burning,
(P)“What city was like the great city?”
19 And they threw (Q)dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, for the great city
(R)where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For (S)in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 (T)Rejoice over her, O heaven,
and you saints and (U)apostles and prophets,
for (V)God has given judgment for you against her!”
Footnotes
- Revelation 18:13 Or and slaves, and human lives
Revelation 18:9-20
New American Standard Bible
Grief over Babylon
9 “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.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Revelation 18:12 Lit stone
- Revelation 18:12 Or brass
- Revelation 18:13 Gr amomon, an Indian spice plant
- Revelation 18:13 Lit bodies
- Revelation 18:14 Lit of your soul’s desire
- Revelation 18:16 Lit gilded
- Revelation 18:16 Lit stone and pearl
- Revelation 18:17 Lit one who sails to a place
- Revelation 18:17 Lit work the sea
- Revelation 18:20 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Revelation 18:20 Lit judged your judgment of her
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.