Offenbarung 18 | New International Reader’s Version

Weeping when Babylon falls

1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority. His glory filled the earth with light. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted, ‘ “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!” She has become a place where demons live. She has become a den for every evil spirit. She has become a place where every “unclean” bird is found. She has become a place where every “unclean” and hated animal is found. 3 All the nations have drunk the strong wine of her terrible sins. The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways. The traders of the world grew rich from her great wealth.’

Warning to run from Babylon’s judgment

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven. It said, ‘ “Come out of her, my people.” Then you will not take part in her sins. You will not suffer from any of her plagues. 5 Her sins are piled up to heaven. God has remembered her crimes. 6 Do to her as she has done to others. Pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double dose of what she has poured for others. 7 Give her as much pain and suffering as the glory and wealth she gave herself. She boasts to herself, “I rule on a throne like a queen. I am not a widow. I will never mourn.” 8 But she will be plagued by death, sadness and hunger. In a single day she will suffer all these plagues. She will be burned up by fire. That’s because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.

How terrible when Babylon falls!

9 ‘The kings of the earth who committed terrible sins with her will weep. They will mourn because they used to share her riches. They will see the smoke rising as she burns. 10 They will be terrified by her suffering. They will stand far away from her. And they will cry out, ‘ “How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city! How terrible for you, mighty city of Babylon! In just one hour you have been destroyed!” 11 ‘The traders of the world will weep and mourn over her. No one buys what they sell anymore. 12 Here is what they had for sale. ‘Gold, silver, jewels, pearls. Fine linen, purple, silk, bright red cloth. Every kind of citron wood. All sorts of things made out of ivory, valuable wood, bronze, iron, marble. 13 Cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense. Wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat. Cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, and human beings sold as slaves. 14 ‘The merchants will say, “The pleasure you longed for has left you. All your riches and glory have disappeared for ever.” 15 The traders who sold these things became rich because of Babylon. When she suffers, they will stand far away. Her suffering will terrify them. They will weep and mourn. 16 They will cry out, ‘ “How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and bright red! How terrible for you, great city, gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls! 17 In just one hour your great wealth has been destroyed!” ‘Every sea captain and all who travel by ship will stand far away. So will the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea. 18 They will see the smoke rising as Babylon burns. They will ask, “Was there ever a city like this great city?” 19 They will throw dust on their heads. They will weep and mourn. They will cry out, ‘ “How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city! All who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth! In just one hour she has been destroyed!” 20 ‘You heavens, be glad for this! You people of God, be glad! You apostles and prophets, be glad! God has judged her with the judgment she gave to you.’

Babylon’s judgment is final

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a huge rock. It was the size of a large millstone. He threw it into the sea. Then he said, ‘That is how the great city of Babylon will be thrown down. Never again will it be found. 22 The songs of musicians will never be heard in you again. Gone will be the music of harps, flutes and trumpets. No worker of any kind will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. 23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in you again. Your traders were among the world’s most important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray. 24 You were guilty of the murder of prophets and God’s holy people. You were guilty of the blood of all who have been killed on the earth.’

English Standard Version

The Fall of Babylon

1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. 3 For all nations have drunk* the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; 5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. 7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’ 8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.” 9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” 11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.* 14 “The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!” 15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, 16 “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! 17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.” And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; 22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, 23 and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.”

Offenbarung 18 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

Weeping when Babylon falls

Warning to run from Babylon’s judgment

How terrible when Babylon falls!

Babylon’s judgment is final

The Fall of Babylon