The Fall of Babylon

1After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, and the earth grew bright with his splendor. 2He gave a mighty shout:

“Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!

She has become a home for demons.

She is a hideout for every foula spirit,

a hideout for every foul vulture

and every foul and dreadful animal.b

3For all the nations have fallenc

because of the wine of her passionate immorality.

The kings of the world

have committed adultery with her.

Because of her desires for extravagant luxury,

the merchants of the world have grown rich.”

4Then I heard another voice calling from heaven,

“Come away from her, my people.

Do not take part in her sins,

or you will be punished with her.

5For her sins are piled as high as heaven,

and God remembers her evil deeds.

6Do to her as she has done to others.

Double her penaltyd for all her evil deeds.

She brewed a cup of terror for others,

so brew twice as muche for her.

7She glorified herself and lived in luxury,

so match it now with torment and sorrow.

She boasted in her heart,

‘I am queen on my throne.

I am no helpless widow,

and I have no reason to mourn.’

8Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day—

death and mourning and famine.

She will be completely consumed by fire,

for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”

9And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. 10They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out,

“How terrible, how terrible for you,

O Babylon, you great city!

In a single moment

God’s judgment came on you.”

11The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. 12She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. 13She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, and bodies—that is, human slaves.

14“The fancy things you loved so much

are gone,” they cry.

“All your luxuries and splendor

are gone forever,

never to be yours again.”

15The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out,

16“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!

She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens,

decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!

17In a single moment

all the wealth of the city is gone!”

And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. 18They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” 19And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out,

“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!

The shipowners became wealthy

by transporting her great wealth on the seas.

In a single moment it is all gone.”

20Rejoice over her fate, O heaven

and people of God and apostles and prophets!

For at last God has judged her

for your sakes.

21Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted,

“Just like this, the great city Babylon

will be thrown down with violence

and will never be found again.

22The sound of harps, singers, flutes, and trumpets

will never be heard in you again.

No craftsmen and no trades

will ever be found in you again.

The sound of the mill

will never be heard in you again.

23The light of a lamp

will never shine in you again.

The happy voices of brides and grooms

will never be heard in you again.

For your merchants were the greatest in the world,

and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.

24In yourf streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people

and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”