Revelation 18

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

2He shouted in a powerful voice: Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen completely! She has become a dark haunt for demons. Every foul spirit and filthy, scavenger bird roosts in her ruins!

3For all the nations have drunk the wine of her wild and sinful ways. The kings of the earth committed sexual sin with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her great luxury.

4Then I heard another voice from heaven say: Come out of her, my people! You must not share in her sins. You must 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 the way she paid others. Give her double for what she has done. Mix her a double share in her own cup.

7Give her as much torture and sorrow as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she says: I sit as a queen. I am not a widow, and I will never grieve.

8Because of this, her plagues will come in a single day: death, sorrow, and famine. She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful.

9World kings will weep when they see smoke from her burning. Terrified by her agonizing torment, they will stand far off.

10They will cry: Disaster! Disaster upon the mighty city of Babylon! In one single hour, your terrifying judgment arrived!

11Earthly merchants weep and mourn over her. No one buys their luxury cargo anymore!

12No one buys their gold, silver, pearls, and jewels. No one buys their fine linen, purple silk, and scarlet cloth. No one purchases their costly ivory, scented wood, bronze, or marble.

13No one buys their spices, wine, olive oil, and fine wheat. No one buys their horses, royal carriages, and livestock. And no one buys human slaves, trafficked human souls!

14They will say: The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be found again.

15The merchants will stand far off, terrified by her torment.

16They will wail: Disaster! In one single hour, your vast wealth vanished!

17Ship captains, sailors, and traders will watch from the sea.

18They will throw dust on their heads, weeping in bitter grief!

19They will throw dust on their heads, and with crying and mourning they will shout: Disaster! Disaster on you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea grew rich from her wealth! In one hour she has been destroyed.

20Be glad over her, you heavens! Be glad, you holy people, apostles, and prophets! For God has judged her for the way she treated you.

21A mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a giant millstone. He hurled it violently down into the crashing ocean! He shouted: With such violent force, mighty Babylon will be thrown down! She will never be found on earth again!

22The sweet music of harps, flutes, and trumpets will go dead silent. No craftsman or worker of any trade will work in you again. The sound of household millstones grinding grain will never be heard again.

23The warm light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The joyful voices of brides and grooms will never echo again. For your corrupt merchants ruled the earth with deceptive witchcraft!

24In her ruins was found the shed blood of God's holy prophets!