18
Babylon’s Fall
1 After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. 2 He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean* bird, and every unclean and hated beast. 3 All the nations fell because of the wine of her sexual sins. The kings of the earth had sex with her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich.”
4 I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. 5 Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 6 Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. 7 She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, ‘I’m a queen on a throne, not a widow. I’ll never be miserable.’ 8 For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.
9 “The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. 10 Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say,
‘How horrible, how horrible it is for that important city,
the powerful city Babylon!
In one moment judgment has come to it!’
11 “The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore. 12 No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, 13 cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans).
14 ‘The fruit you craved is gone.
All your luxuries and your splendor have disappeared.
No one will ever find them again.’
15 “Frightened by her torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn, 16 saying,
‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city
which was wearing fine linen, purple clothes,
bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls.
17 In one moment all this wealth has been destroyed!’
Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. 18 When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’ 19 Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning,
‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city.
Everyone who had a ship at sea
grew rich because of that city’s high prices.
In one moment it has been destroyed!’
20 “Gloat over it, heaven, God’s people, apostles, and prophets.
God has condemned it for you.”
21 Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said,
“The important city Babylon will be thrown down with the same force.
It will never be found again.
22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters
will never be heard in it again.
A skilled craftsman—regardless of the type of craft—
will never be found in it again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in it again.
23 Light from lamps
will never shine in it again.
Voices of brides and grooms
will never be heard in it again.
Its merchants were the important people of the world,
because all the nations were deceived by its witchcraft.
24 “The blood of prophets, God’s people, and everyone who had been murdered on earth was found in it.”
* 18:2 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.