Revelation 18
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 18
The Fall of Babylon.[a] 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth became illumined by his splendor.(A) 2 [b]He cried out in a mighty voice:
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.(B)
She has become a haunt for demons.
She is a cage for every unclean spirit,
a cage for every unclean bird,
[a cage for every unclean] and disgusting [beast].
3 For all the nations have drunk[c]
the wine of her licentious passion.
The kings of the earth had intercourse with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her drive for luxury.”(C)
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“Depart from her,[d] my people,
so as not to take part in her sins
and receive a share in her plagues,(D)
5 for her sins are piled up to the sky,
and God remembers her crimes.(E)
6 Pay her back as she has paid others.
Pay her back double for her deeds.
Into her cup pour double what she poured.(F)
7 To the measure of her boasting and wantonness
repay her in torment and grief;
for she said to herself,
‘I sit enthroned as queen;
I am no widow,
and I will never know grief.’(G)
8 Therefore, her plagues will come in one day,
pestilence, grief, and famine;
she will be consumed by fire.
For mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
9 The kings of the earth who had intercourse with her in their wantonness will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her pyre. 10 They will keep their distance for fear of the torment inflicted on her, and they will say:
“Alas, alas, great city,
Babylon, mighty city.
In one hour your judgment has come.”
11 The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her, because there will be no more markets[e] for their cargo: 12 their cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple silk, and scarlet cloth; fragrant wood of every kind, all articles of ivory and all articles of the most expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice,[f] incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human beings.
14 “The fruit you craved
has left you.
All your luxury and splendor are gone,
never again will one find them.”(H)
15 The merchants who deal in these goods, who grew rich from her, will keep their distance for fear of the torment inflicted on her. Weeping and mourning, 16 they cry out:
“Alas, alas, great city,
wearing fine linen, purple and scarlet,
adorned [in] gold, precious stones, and pearls.(I)
17 In one hour this great wealth has been ruined.”
Every captain of a ship, every traveler at sea, sailors, and seafaring merchants stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her pyre, “What city could compare with the great city?” 19 (J)They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning:
“Alas, alas, great city,
in which all who had ships at sea
grew rich from her wealth.
In one hour she has been ruined.
20 Rejoice over her, heaven,
you holy ones, apostles, and prophets.
For God has judged your case against her.”(K)
21 A mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone and threw it into the sea and said:
“With such force will Babylon the great city be thrown down,
and will never be found again.(L)
22 No melodies of harpists and musicians,
flutists and trumpeters,
will ever be heard in you again.
No craftsmen in any trade
will ever be found in you again.
No sound of the millstone
will ever be heard in you again.(M)
23 No light from a lamp
will ever be seen in you again.
No voices of bride and groom
will ever be heard in you again.
Because your merchants were the great ones of the world,
all nations were led astray by your magic potion.(N)
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and holy ones
and all who have been slain on the earth.”(O)
Footnotes
- 18:1–19:4 A stirring dirge over the fall of Babylon-Rome. The perspective is prophetic, as if the fall of Rome had already taken place. The imagery here, as elsewhere in this book, is not to be taken literally. The vindictiveness of some of the language, borrowed from the scathing Old Testament prophecies against Babylon, Tyre, and Nineveh (Is 23; 24; 27; Jer 50–51; Ez 26–27), is meant to portray symbolically the inexorable demands of God’s holiness and justice; cf. Introduction. The section concludes with a joyous canticle on the future glory of heaven.
- 18:2 Many Greek manuscripts and versions omit a cage for every unclean…beast.
- 18:3–24 Rome is condemned for her immorality, symbol of idolatry (see note on Rev 14:4), and for persecuting the church; cf. Rev 19:2.
- 18:4 Depart from her: not evacuation of the city but separation from sinners, as always in apocalyptic literature.
- 18:11 Ironically, the merchants weep not so much for Babylon-Rome, but for their lost markets; cf. Ez 27:36.
- 18:13 Spice: an unidentified spice plant called in Greek amōmon.
Revelation 18
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Fall of Babylon the Great
18 After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 He cried in a mighty voice:
It has fallen,[a]
Babylon the Great has fallen!(A)
She has become a dwelling for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
and a haunt[b] for every unclean and despicable beast.[c](B)
3 For all the nations have drunk[d]
the wine of her sexual immorality,
which brings wrath.(C)
The kings of the earth
have committed sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth
have grown wealthy from her excessive luxury.
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven:
Come out of her, My people,
so that you will not share in her sins(D)
or receive any of her plagues.
5 For her sins are piled up[e] to heaven,(E)
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Pay her back the way she also paid,(F)
and double it according to her works.(G)
In the cup in which she mixed,(H)
mix a double portion for her.
7 As much as she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,
give her that much torment and grief,
for she says in her heart,
“I sit as a queen;
I am not a widow,
and I will never see grief.”(I)
8 For this reason her plagues will come in one day[f]—
death and grief and famine.
She will be burned up with fire,
because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.
The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall
9 The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying:
Woe, woe, the great city,
Babylon, the mighty city!
For in a single hour[g]
your judgment has come.
11 The merchants of the earth will also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any longer— 12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine fabrics of linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass,[h] iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice,[i][j] incense, myrrh,[k] and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine wheat flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves[l] and human lives.[m](J)
14 The fruit you craved has left you.
All your splendid and glamorous things are gone;
they will never find them again.
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:
Woe, woe, the great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet,
adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls,
17 for in a single hour[n]
such fabulous wealth was destroyed!
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 is like the great city?”(K) 19 They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning:(L)
Woe, woe, the great city,(M)
where all those who have ships on the sea
became rich from her wealth,
for in a single hour[o] she was destroyed.
20 Rejoice over her, heaven,
and you saints, apostles, and prophets,(N)
because God has executed your judgment on her![p]
The Finality of Babylon’s Fall
21 Then a mighty angel(O) picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying:
In this way, Babylon the great city
will be thrown down violently(P)
and never be found again.(Q)
22 The sound of harpists, musicians,
flutists, and trumpeters
will never be heard in you again;(R)
no craftsman of any trade
will ever be found in you again;
the sound of a mill
will never be heard in you again;
23 the light of a lamp
will never shine in you again;
and the voice of a groom and bride
will never be heard in you again.(S)
All this will happen
because your merchants
were the nobility of the earth,
because all the nations were deceived
by your sorcery,[q]
24 and the blood of prophets and saints,
and of all those slaughtered on earth,
was found in you.[r](T)
Footnotes
- Revelation 18:2 Other mss omit It has fallen
- Revelation 18:2 Or prison
- Revelation 18:2 Other mss omit the words and a haunt for every unclean beast. The words and despicable then refer to the bird of the previous line.
- Revelation 18:3 Some mss read have collapsed; other mss read have fallen
- Revelation 18:5 Or sins have reached up
- Revelation 18:8 Suddenly
- Revelation 18:10 Suddenly
- Revelation 18:12 Or bronze, or copper
- Revelation 18:13 Other mss omit spice
- Revelation 18:13 Or amomum, an aromatic plant
- Revelation 18:13 Or perfume
- Revelation 18:13 Or bodies
- Revelation 18:13 Slaves; “bodies” was the Gk way of referring to slaves; “souls of men” was the Hb way.
- Revelation 18:17 Suddenly
- Revelation 18:19 Suddenly
- Revelation 18:20 Or God pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you; see Rv 18:6
- Revelation 18:23 Ancient sorcery or witchcraft often used spells and drugs. Here the term may be non-literal, that is, Babylon drugged the nations with her beauty and power.
- Revelation 18:24 Lit in her
启示录 18
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
大巴比伦倾倒
18 这些事以后，我看见有另一位掌大权柄的天使，从天上降下来，他的荣光照亮了大地。 2 他用强有力的声音呼喊说：
“倾倒了！大巴比伦倾倒了！
成了鬼魔的住处，
各样污灵的监狱，
一切污秽可憎之雀鸟的牢笼，
3 因为各国都喝她淫乱烈怒的酒醉了；
地上的君王与她行淫，
世上的商人因她奢华挥霍就发了财。”
4 我听见另一个声音从天上来，说：
“从那城出来吧，我的子民！
免得在她的罪上有分，
受她所受的灾难；
5 因为她的罪恶滔天，
神已经想起她的不义来。
6 她怎样待人，你们也要怎样待她；
照着她所作的，加倍报应她；
用她调酒的杯，加倍调给她。
7 她怎样炫耀自己，怎样奢华挥霍，
你们也要怎样给她痛苦悲哀。
因为她心里常常说：
‘我坐著作女王，
我不是寡妇，
决不会看见悲哀。’
8 因此，在一日之内她的灾难必然来到，
就是死亡、悲哀和饥荒；
她还要在火中被烧掉，
因为审判她的主 神是大有能力的。
9 “地上的众王，就是跟她一同行邪淫、骄奢无度的，看见焚烧她的烟的时候，就必为她痛哭捶胸。 10 他们因为害怕她所受的痛苦，就远远地站着，说：
‘有祸了！有祸了！这大城，
巴比伦，这坚固的城啊！
一时之间你的审判就来到了！’
11 “地上的商人也为她悲哀痛哭，因为没有人再买他们的货物： 12 就是金、银、宝石、珍珠；细麻布、紫色布、丝绸、朱红色布；各样香木，各样象牙制品，各样极贵重的木器、铜器、铁器、大理石制品； 13 肉桂、荳蔻、香料、香膏、乳香；酒、油、面粉、麦子；牛、羊、马、车、奴仆、人口。 14 你所贪恋的果子离开你了！一切珍馐美味、华丽的美物，都从你那里消失，再也找不到了！ 15 贩卖这些货物，借着她发了财的商人，因为害怕她受的痛苦，就远远地站着，痛哭悲哀， 16 说：
‘有祸了！有祸了！这大城啊！
就是一向穿著细麻布、
紫色、朱红色的衣服，
佩戴着金子、
宝石和珍珠装饰的，
17 一时之间，这么大的财富竟荡然无存！’
“所有船长、旅客、水手，以及凡是靠海谋生的，都远远地站着。 18 他们看见了焚烧她的烟，就喊叫说：‘有哪一座城能与这大城相比呢？’ 19 他们又把尘土撒在自己头上，痛哭悲哀，喊着说：
‘有祸了！有祸了！这大城啊！
凡是有船航行海上的，
都因这城的财宝发了财；
一时之间她竟成了荒场！’
20 天哪，你要因她欢喜！
众圣徒、众使徒、众先知啊，
你们也要因她欢喜！
因为 神已经在她身上为你们伸了冤。”
21 有一位大力的天使，把一块好象大磨石一样的石头，举起来拋在海里，说：
“巴比伦大城也必这样被猛力地拋下去，
决不能再找到了！
22 弹琴、奏乐、
吹笛、吹号的声音，
在你中间决不能再听到了！
各样手艺技工，
在你中间决不能再找到了！
推磨的声音，
在你中间决不能再听到了！
23 灯的亮光，
在你中间决不能再照耀了！
新郎新娘的声音，
在你中间决不能再听到了！
你的商人一向都是地上的大人物，
万国都因你的邪术受了迷惑。
24 先知、圣徒和地上一切被杀的人的血，
都在这城里找到了！”
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.