NIV
Revelation 18
- 1<pb/>After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.
- 2With a mighty voice he shouted: <pb/><t>“ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’<f>[40]</f></t> <t>She has become a dwelling for demons</t> <t>and a haunt for every impure spirit,</t> <t>a haunt for every unclean bird,</t> <t>a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.</t>
- 3<t>For all the nations have drunk</t> <t>the maddening wine of her adulteries.</t> <t>The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,</t> <t>and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”</t>
- 4<pb/>Then I heard another voice from heaven say: <pb/><t>“ ‘Come out of her, my people,’<f>[41]</f></t> <t>so that you will not share in her sins,</t> <t>so that you will not receive any of her plagues;</t>
- 5<t>for her sins are piled up to heaven,</t> <t>and God has remembered her crimes.</t>
- 6<t>Give back to her as she has given;</t> <t>pay her back double for what she has done.</t> <t>Pour her a double portion from her own cup.</t>
- 7<t>Give her as much torment and grief</t> <t>as the glory and luxury she gave herself.</t> <t>In her heart she boasts,</t> <t>‘I sit enthroned as queen.</t> <t>I am not a widow;<f>[42]</f></t> <t>I will never mourn.’</t>
- 8<t>Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:</t> <t>death, mourning and famine.</t> <t>She will be consumed by fire,</t> <t>for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.</t>
- 9<pb/>“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
- 10Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: <pb/><t>“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,</t> <t>you mighty city of Babylon!</t> <t>In one hour your doom has come!’</t>
- 11<pb/>“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore—
- 12cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;
- 13cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.
- 14<pb/>“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’
- 15The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn
- 16and cry out: <pb/><t>“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,</t> <t>dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,</t> <t>and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!</t>
- 17<t>In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’</t> <pb/>“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.
- 18When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’
- 19They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: <pb/><t>“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,</t> <t>where all who had ships on the sea</t> <t>became rich through her wealth!</t> <t>In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’ <pb/></t>
- 20<t>“Rejoice over her, you heavens!</t> <t>Rejoice, you people of God!</t> <t>Rejoice, apostles and prophets!</t> <t>For God has judged her</t> <t>with the judgment she imposed on you.”</t>
- 21<pb/>Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: <pb/><t>“With such violence</t> <t>the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,</t> <t>never to be found again.</t>
- 22<t>The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,</t> <t>will never be heard in you again.</t> <t>No worker of any trade</t> <t>will ever be found in you again.</t> <t>The sound of a millstone</t> <t>will never be heard in you again.</t>
- 23<t>The light of a lamp</t> <t>will never shine in you again.</t> <t>The voice of bridegroom and bride</t> <t>will never be heard in you again.</t> <t>Your merchants were the world’s important people.</t> <t>By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.</t>
- 24<t>In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,</t> <t>of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”</t>