Revelation
After this I saw another angel coming down out of heaven. He had great
authority, and the earth was lit up by his glory.
He shouted with a powerful
voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a residence of
demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, and a prison for every unclean
and hated bird and animal.
For all the nations have drunk the wine of her immoral
passion, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with
her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the power of her
immoral behavior.”
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, My
people, so that you will not take part in her sins and receive her plagues,
because her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her sins.
Repay to her just as she paid others, and repay her double for
everything she did. In the cup which she mixed, mix double for her.
To the
degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, give her the same
degree of torment and mourning, because she said to herself, ‘I reign as a
queen, and am no widow; I will never mourn!’
That is why her plagues will come in a single day: disease, mourning, and famine, and she will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”
Then the kings of the earth who committed immoral acts and lived
sensuously with her will weep and wail over her, when they see the smoke of
the fire that burns her up.
They will stand far away because they are afraid
of her torturous end. They will say, “Alas, alas, O great city, Babylon, the
mighty city! For in one hour your punishment has come!”
Then the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her,
because nobody buys their cargo any more:
merchandise of gold, silver,
precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet fabric; all kinds
of things made of citron wood, all kinds of items made of ivory, all kinds of
items made of expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble,
cinnamon, spice,
incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and
sheep, horses and wagons, slaves and human persons.
The fruit you desired
has gone from you; all your luxurious and splendid things have gone from
you, and you will never find them again!
The merchants who sold these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away because they are afraid of her torturous end. They will weep and mourn,
saying, “Alas, alas,
the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing,
and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls!
For in one hour all this wealth has been destroyed.” And every ship captain, passenger and
sailor, and all who make their living from the sea stood far away.
As they
saw the smoke of the fire that burned her up, they shouted, “What city was like the
great city?”
And they threw dust on their heads, and were crying out with
weeping and mourning, “Alas, alas, the great city, where all who had their
ships on the sea became rich from her wealth! For in one hour she has been
destroyed!”
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints, apostles and
prophets, because God has pronounced judgment against her for you.
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it
into the sea, and said, “In this way with violence Babylon, the great city, will be thrown down, and will not be found any more!
The sound of
harpists, musicians, flute players and trumpeters will never be heard in you
any more. No craftsmen of any trade will be found in you any more. The
sound of a mill will not be heard in you any more.
The light of a lamp will
not shine in you any more. The voices of the bridegroom and bride will not
be heard in you any more. For your merchants were the important people of
the earth, and by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
In her was
found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been killed on
the earth.”
Revelation