New International Version

New King James Version

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.

1

The Fall of Babylon the Great

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

2

With a mighty voice he shouted:
“ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’a
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

2

And he cried [a]mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

3

For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

3

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the [b]abundance of her luxury.”

4

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“ ‘Come out of her, my people,’b
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

4

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

5

for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.

5

For her sins [c]have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

6

Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.

6

Render to her just as she rendered [d]to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

7

Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;c
I will never mourn.’

7

In the measure that she glorified herself and lived [e]luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’

8

Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

8

Therefore her plagues will come in one day — death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who [f]judges her.

9

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.

9

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,

10

Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’

10

standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

11

“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore —

11

“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:

12

cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;

12

merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

13

cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.

13

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

14

“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’

14

The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have [g]gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.

15

The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn

15

The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16

and cry out:
“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!

16

and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

17

In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.

17

For in one hour such great riches [h]came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

18

When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’

18

and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’

19

They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’

19

“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she [i]is made desolate.’

20

“Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”

20

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [j]holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

21

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:
“With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.

21

Finality of Babylon’s Fall

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

22

The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.

22

The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.

23

The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.

23

The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

24

In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

24

And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”

Parallel

New International Version

New King James Version

Revelation 18

Revelation 18