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20 Rejoice over her torment, O heaven. Join in the celebration, you saints, emissaries,[a] and prophets because God has judged in your favor and against her.

21 Then a mighty messenger picked up a huge stone—it looked like a great millstone—and he cast it into the sea.

Mighty Messenger: Watch and see. This is how Babylon, the great city,
        will be thrown down; violently will she go down,
        and they will search for her in vain.
22     Never again will the sound of music grace your streets.
    The melodies and harmonies of the harpists and musicians and flutists and trumpeters
        will never be heard again.
    And never again will an artisan of any craft
        be found in your markets,
    And never again will the grinding of the millstone
        provide rhythm to your city,

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Footnotes

  1. 18:20 Literally, apostles

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

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

21 Then a mighty angel(C) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,(D) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city(E) 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.(F)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.(G)

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