Revelation 18

New Matthew Bible

Those who love the world are sorry about the fall of Babylon, but those who are of God have cause to rejoice over her destruction.

18 And after that, I saw another angel come from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his brightness. ² And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Great Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of all unclean and hateful birds. ³ For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and her merchants were made rich from the abundance of her pleasures.

⁴ And I heard another voice from heaven say, Come away from her, my people, that you be not partakers in her sins, that you receive not of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have gone up to heaven, and God has remembered her wickedness. ⁶ Reward her even as she rewarded you, and give her double according to her works. And pour in double for her, in the same cup that she filled for you. ⁷ And as much as she glorified herself and lived wantonly, so much pour in for her of punishment and sorrow. For she said in herself, I sit being a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. ⁸ Therefore her plagues shall come at one day: death, and sorrow, and hunger; and she will be burnt with fire. For strong is the Lord God who judges her.

⁹ And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication with her and have lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they see the smoke of her burning. ¹⁰ And they will stand afar off for fear of her punishment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For at one hour has her judgment come.

¹¹ And the merchants of the earth will weep and wail in themselves, because no one will buy their wares any more – ¹² wares of gold and silver and precious stones, neither of pearl, and fine linens, and purple and scarlet cloth; and all fragrant wood, and all manner of vessels of ivory, and all manner of vessels of most precious wood, and of bronze and iron; ¹³ and cinnamon and incense, and oyntments, frankincense, wine, and oil, and fine flour and wheat; and work animals, and sheep, and horses, and chariots; and bodies and souls of men.

¹⁴ And the apples that your soul lusted after are departed from you. And all things that were choice and precious to you are departed from you, and you shall find them no more. ¹⁵ The merchants of these things, who had gotten rich, will stand afar off from her, for fear of her punishment, weeping and wailing, ¹⁶ and saying, Alas, alas, that great city, which was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls! ¹⁷ For at one hour such great riches have come to nothing.

And every ship captain, and all they that occupied ships, and sailors who work at sea, stood afar off, ¹⁸ and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like this great city? ¹⁹ And they cast dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and said, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein all who had ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth. For at one hour she is made desolate.

²⁰ Rejoice over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God has given your judgment on her.

²¹ And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, With such violence shall that great city Babylon be cast down, and shall be found no more. ²² And the sound of harpers and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters, shall be heard no more in you. And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in you. And the sound of a mill shall be heard no more in you. ²³ And the light of the candle shall no more shine in you. And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more in you. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, and with your enchantment were deceived all nations. ²⁴ And in her was found the blood of the prophets and of the saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.