Revelation 18:9-24

New American Standard Bible 1995

Lament for Babylon

⁹ “And ^(A)the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and ^(B)lived ^[a]sensuously with her, will ^(C)weep and lament 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 cargoes any more— ¹² cargoes of ^(K)gold and silver and precious ^[b]stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and ^[c]bronze and iron and marble, ¹³ and cinnamon and ^[d]spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and ^[e]slaves and ^[f](L)human lives. ¹⁴ The fruit ^[g]you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men 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 ^[h]adorned with gold and precious ^[i]stones and pearls; ¹⁷ for in ^(S)one hour such great wealth has been laid ^(T)waste!’ And ^(U)every shipmaster and every ^[j]passenger and sailor, and as many as 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 by her ^[k]wealth, for in ^(AD)one hour she has been laid ^(AE)waste!’ ^20 (AF)Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you ^[l]saints and ^(AG)apostles and prophets, because ^(AH)God has ^[m]pronounced judgment for you against her.”

²¹ Then ^[n]a ^(AI)strong angel ^(AJ)took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, ^(AK)the great city, be thrown down with violence, and ^(AL)will not be found any longer. ²² And ^(AM)the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the ^(AN)sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; ²³ and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the ^(AO)voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your ^(AP)merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived ^(AQ)by your sorcery. ²⁴ And in her was found the ^(AR)blood of prophets and of ^[o]saints and of ^(AS)all who have been slain on the earth.”