The Revelation of St. John the Divine

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 18 -

(Isaiah 21:1–10)

And after these things I saw another messenger coming down out of Heaven, having great authority, and the earth was lightened from his glory,

and he cried in might [with] a great voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! And she became a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird,

because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth committed whoredom with her, and merchants of the earth were made rich from the power of her indulgence.”

And I heard another voice out of Heaven, saying, “Come forth out of her, My people, that you may not partake with her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues,

because her sins have reached up to Heaven, and God remembered her unrighteousness.

Render to her as she also rendered to you, and double to her twofold according to her works; in the cup that she mingled mingle to her double.

As much as she glorified herself and indulged, so much torment and sorrow give to her, because in her heart she says, I sit [as] queen, and I am not a widow, and I will not see sorrow;

because of this, in one day, will come her plagues: death, and sorrow, and famine; and she will be utterly burned in fire, because strong [is] the LORD God who is judging her;

Lament over Babylon

and the kings of the earth will weep over her and strike themselves for her, who committed whoredom and indulged with her, when they may see the smoke of her burning,

having stood from afar because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! Because in one hour your judgment came.

And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore;

cargo of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all fragrant wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble,

and cinnamon, and amomum, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies and souls of men.

And the fruits of the desire of your soul went away from you, and all things—the sumptuous and the radiant—went away from you, and no more at all may you find them.

The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far off because of the fear of her torment, weeping, and mourning,

and saying, Woe, woe, the great city, that was clothed with fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded in gold, and precious stone, and pearls—

because in one hour so much riches were made desolate! And every shipmaster, and all the company on the ships, and sailors, and as many as work the sea, stood far off,

and were crying, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like to the great city?

And they cast dust on their heads, and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! In which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness—for in one hour was she made desolate.

Be glad over her, O Heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, because God judged your judgment of her!”

The Doom of Babylon

And one strong messenger took up a stone as a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon be cast, the great city, and may not be found anymore at all;

and voice of harpists, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, may not be heard at all in you anymore; and any craftsman of any craft may not be found at all in you anymore; and noise of a millstone may not be heard at all in you anymore;

and light of a lamp may not shine at all in you anymore; and voice of bridegroom and of bride may not be heard at all in you anymore; because your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were led astray in your sorcery,

and in her blood of prophets and of holy ones was found, and of all those who have been slain on the earth.”

(Isaiah 21:1–10)

After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.

He cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hated bird!

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury.”

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues,

for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities.

Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her double.

However much she glorified herself and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.’

Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire, for the Lord God who has judged her is strong.

Lament over Babylon

The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,

standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.’

The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more:

merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;

and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and people’s bodies and souls.

The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you. All things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all.

The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,

saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls!

For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.’ Every ship master, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away,

and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like the great city?’

They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour.

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has judged your judgment on her.”

The Doom of Babylon

A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.

The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman of whatever craft will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you.

The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you, for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.”