Revelation 18

New International Version

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.^(C) ²With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’^[a]^(D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,^(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.^(F)
³For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.^(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,^(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich^(I) from her excessive luxuries.”^(J)

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

⁴Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’^[b]^(K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;^(L)
⁵for her sins are piled up to heaven,^(M)
    and God has remembered^(N) her crimes.
⁶Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back^(O) double^(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.^(Q)
⁷Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.^(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;^[c]
    I will never mourn.’^(S)
⁸Therefore in one day^(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,^(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

⁹“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her^(V) and shared her luxury^(W) see the smoke of her burning,^(X) they will weep and mourn over her.^(Y) ¹⁰Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off^(Z) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AA)
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour^(AB) your doom has come!’

¹¹“The merchants^(AC) of the earth will weep and mourn^(AD) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore^(AE)— 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;^(AF) 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.^(AG)

¹⁴“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^(AH) will stand far off,^(AI) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn^(AJ) ¹⁶and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AK)
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!^(AL)
¹⁷In one hour^(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’^(AN)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,^(AO) will stand far off.^(AP) ¹⁸When they see the smoke of her burning,^(AQ) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city^(AR)?’^(AS) ¹⁹They will throw dust on their heads,^(AT) and with weeping and mourning^(AU) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AV)
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’^(AW)

²⁰“Rejoice over her, you heavens!^(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”^(AY)

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

²¹Then a mighty angel^(AZ) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,^(BA) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city^(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
²²The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.^(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.^(BD)
²³The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.^(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.^(BF)
    By your magic spell^(BG) all the nations were led astray.
²⁴In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,^(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”^(BI)