The Fall of Babylon

1After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendour. 2He called out with a mighty voice,

‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

It has become a dwelling-place of demons,

a haunt of every foul spirit,

a haunt of every foul bird,

a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.18.2 Other ancient authorities lack the words a haunt of every foul beast and attach the words and hateful to the previous line so as to read a haunt of every foul and hateful bird

3For all the nations have drunk18.3 Other ancient authorities read She has made all nations drink

of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,

and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,

and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power18.3 Or resources of her luxury.’

4Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

‘Come out of her, my people,

so that you do not take part in her sins,

and so that you do not share in her plagues;

5for her sins are heaped high as heaven,

and God has remembered her iniquities.

6Render to her as she herself has rendered,

and repay her double for her deeds;

mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed.

7As she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,

so give her a like measure of torment and grief.

Since in her heart she says,

“I rule as a queen;

I am no widow,

and I will never see grief”,

8therefore her plagues will come in a single day—

pestilence and mourning and famine—

and she will be burned with fire;

for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.’

9And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; 10they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

‘Alas, alas, the great city,

Babylon, the mighty city!

For in one hour your judgement has come.’

11And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo any more, 12cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble, 13cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves—and human lives.18.13 Or chariots, and human bodies and souls

14‘The fruit for which your soul longed

has gone from you,

and all your dainties and your splendour

are lost to you,

never to be found again!’

15The 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, the great city,

clothed in fine linen,

in purple and scarlet,

adorned with gold,

with jewels, and with pearls!

17For in one hour all this wealth has been laid waste!’

And all shipmasters and seafarers, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,

‘What city was like the great city?’

19And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned, crying out,

‘Alas, alas, the great city,

where all who had ships at sea

grew rich by her wealth!

For in one hour she has been laid waste.’

20Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints and apostles and prophets! For God has given judgement for you against her.

21Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

‘With such violence Babylon the great city

will be thrown down,

and will be found no more;

22and the sound of harpists and minstrels and of flautists and trumpeters

will be heard in you no more;

and an artisan of any trade

will be found in you no more;

and the sound of the millstone

will be heard in you no more;

23and 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 magnates of the earth,

and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.

24And in you18.24 Gk her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,

and of all who have been slaughtered on earth.’