Revelation 18
Complete Jewish Bible
18 After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, the earth was lit up by his splendor. 2 He cried out in a strong voice,
“She has fallen! She has fallen!
Bavel the Great![a]
She has become a home for demons,
a prison for every unclean spirit,
a prison for every unclean, hated bird.
3 “For all the nations have drunk of the wine
of God’s fury caused by her whoring —
yes, the kings of the earth went whoring with her,
and from her unrestrained love of luxury
the world’s businessmen have grown rich.”
4 Then I heard another voice out of heaven say:
“My people, come out of her!
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not be infected by her plagues,
5 for her sins are a sticky mass piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 “Render to her as she rendered to others!
Pay her back double for what she has done!
Use the cup in which she has brewed
to brew her a double-sized drink!
7 “Give her as much torment and sorrow
as the glory and luxury she gave herself!
For in her heart she says, ‘I sit a queen —
I am not a widow, I will never see sorrow.’
8 “Therefore, her plagues will come in a single day —
death, sorrow and famine;
and she will be burned with fire,
because Adonai, God, her Judge, is mighty”
9 The kings of the earth who went whoring with her and shared her luxury will sob and wail over her when they see the smoke as she burns. 10 Standing at a distance, for fear of her torment, they will say,
“Oh no! The great city!
Bavel, the mighty city!
In a single hour
your judgment has come!”
11 The world’s businessmen weep and mourn over her, because no one is buying their merchandise any more — 12 stocks of gold and silver, gems and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, all rare woods, all ivory goods, all kinds of things made of scented wood, brass, iron and marble; 13 cinnamon, cardamom, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots — and bodies — and people’s souls.
14 The fruits you lusted for with all your heart have gone!
All the luxury and flashiness have been destroyed, never to return!
15 The sellers of these things, who got rich from her, will stand at a distance, for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 and saying,
“Oh no! The great city used to wear fine linen, purple and scarlet!
She glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 Such great wealth —
in a single hour, ruined!”
All the ship masters, passengers, sailors and everyone making his living from the sea stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, “What city was like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, saying,
“Oh no! The great city!
The abundance of her wealth
made all the ship owners rich!
In a single hour she is ruined!”
20 Rejoice over her, heaven!
Rejoice, people of God,
emissaries and prophets!
For in judging her, God has vindicated you.
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying,
“With violence like this
will the great city Bavel
be hurled down,
never to be found again!
22 “The sound of harpists and musicians,
flute-players and trumpeters
will never again be heard in you.
No worker of any trade
will ever again be found in you,
the sound of a mill
will never again be heard in you,
23 the light of a lamp
will never again shine in you,
the voice of bridegroom and bride
will never again be heard in you.
“For your businessmen were the most powerful on earth,
all the nations were deceived by your magic spell.
24 “In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s people,
indeed, of all who have ever been slaughtered on earth!”
Footnotes
- Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
Revelation 18
New King James Version
The Fall of Babylon the Great
18 After(A) these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, (B)and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried [a]mightily with a loud voice, saying, (C)“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and (D)has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and (E)a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations (F)have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, (G)and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the [b]abundance of her luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, (H)“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 (I)For her sins [c]have reached to heaven, and (J)God has remembered her iniquities. 6 (K)Render to her just as she rendered [d]to you, and repay her double according to her works; (L)in the cup which she has mixed, (M)mix double for her. 7 (N)In the measure that she glorified herself and lived [e]luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as (O)queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come (P)in one day—death and mourning and famine. And (Q)she will be utterly burned with fire, (R)for strong is the Lord God who [f]judges her.
The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall
9 (S)“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her (T)will weep and lament for her, (U)when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, (V)‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! (W)For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And (X)the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 (Y)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 (Z)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 [g]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, (AA)that great city (AB)that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 (AC)For in one hour such great riches [h]came to nothing.’ (AD)Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 (AE)and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, (AF)‘What is like this great city?’
19 (AG)“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! (AH)For in one hour she [i]is made desolate.’
20 (AI)“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [j]holy apostles and prophets, for (AJ)God has avenged you on her!”
Finality of Babylon’s Fall
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, (AK)“Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and (AL)shall not be found anymore. 22 (AM)The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 (AN)The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, (AO)and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For (AP)your merchants were the great men of the earth, (AQ)for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And (AR)in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who (AS)were slain on the earth.”
Footnotes
- Revelation 18:2 NU, M omit mightily
- Revelation 18:3 Lit. strengths
- Revelation 18:5 NU, M have been heaped up
- Revelation 18:6 NU, M omit to you
- Revelation 18:7 sensually
- Revelation 18:8 NU, M has judged
- Revelation 18:14 NU, M been lost to you
- Revelation 18:17 have been laid waste
- Revelation 18:19 have been laid waste
- Revelation 18:20 NU, M saints and apostles
Revelation 18
King James Version
18 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle 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 great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
