Grief over Babylon

“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!’

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:12 Lit stone
  2. Revelation 18:12 Or brass
  3. Revelation 18:13 Gr amomon, an Indian spice plant
  4. Revelation 18:13 Lit bodies
  5. Revelation 18:14 Lit of your soul’s desire
  6. Revelation 18:16 Lit gilded
  7. Revelation 18:16 Lit stone and pearl
  8. Revelation 18:17 Lit one who sails to a place
  9. Revelation 18:17 Lit work the sea

The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality with her and lived in luxury with her, will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.[a] 10 Frightened by the torture that she experiences,[b] they will stand far away and cry out,

“How terrible, how terrible it is for that great city,
    the powerful city Babylon,
        because your judgment arrived in a single hour!”

11 The world’s businesses cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore— 12 cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all articles made of ivory, all articles made of very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and slaves (that is, human souls)—

14 “The fruit that you crafted has abandoned you.
    All your dainties and your splendor are lost,[c]
        and no one will ever find them again.”

15 Frightened by the severity of her punishment, businesses that had become rich because of her will stand at a distance, crying and mourning:

16 “How terrible, how terrible it is for the great city
    that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet
        and was adorned with gold, gems, and pearls,
17 because all this wealth has been destroyed in a single hour!”

Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made a living from the sea stood far away. 18 When they saw the smoke rising from the fire that consumed her,[d] they began to cry out, “What city was like that great city?” 19 Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning:

“How terrible, how terrible it is for the great city,
    where all who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth,
        because it has been destroyed in a single hour!

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:9 Lit. from her fire
  2. Revelation 18:10 Lit. by her torture
  3. Revelation 18:14 Lit. lost to you
  4. Revelation 18:18 Lit. from her fire