Revelation 18

1After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was lit up by his glory.

2He called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean bird, and a prison for every unclean and hated beast.

3For all the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality. The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the power of her luxury.”

4Then I heard another voice from heaven say, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not take part in her sins, and so that you will not receive any of her plagues.

5For her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.

6Pay her back as she herself has paid others back, and repay her double for her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix her a double portion.

7As much as she glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her that much torment and mourning. For in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen; I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’

8That is why her plagues will come in a single day: death and mourning and famine. She will be burned up with fire, for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.

9The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her 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, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in a single hour your judgment has come.’

11The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore,

12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of citron wood, all kinds of articles made of ivory, and all kinds of articles made of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

13cinnamon, spice, incense, perfume, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves, that is, human lives.

14The fruit your soul longed for has gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have perished from you, and they will never be found again.

15The merchants of these goods, who grew rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,

16and saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls!

17For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.’ Every ship’s captain, everyone who sails from place to place, the sailors, and all who make their living from the sea stood far off

18and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, ‘What city is like the great city?’

19They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich from her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.’

20Rejoice over her, heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has passed judgment on her for you.”

21Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “This is how Babylon the great city will be thrown down with violence, and it will never be found again.

22The sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No craftsman of any trade 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 voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all the nations were led astray by your sorcery.

24And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”