Lament
Over
Fallen
Babylon
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.
2 With a
mighty
voice he
shouted:
“‘Fallen!
Fallen is
Babylon
the
Great!’
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.
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.”
Warning to
Escape
Babylon’s
Judgment
4 Then I
heard
another
voice from
heaven
say:
“‘Come out
of her, my
people,’
so
that you
will not
share in
her sins,
so
that you
will not
receive
any of her
plagues;
5 for
her sins
are piled
up to
heaven,
and
God has
remembered
her
crimes.
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.
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;
I will
never
mourn.’
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.
Threefold
Woe Over
Babylon’s
Fall
9 “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.
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!’
11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes 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;
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.
14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’
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
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!
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.
18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city 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!’
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.”
The
Finality
of
Babylon’s
Doom
21 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.
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.
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.
24 In her
was found
the blood
of
prophets
and of
God’s holy
people,
of all
who have
been
slaughtered
on the
earth.”