Revelation 18:9-24

New American Standard Bible

Grief over Babylon

⁹ “And ^(A)the kings of the earth, who committed acts of sexual immorality and ^(B)lived luxuriously with her, will ^(C)weep and mourn over her when they ^(D)see the smoke of her burning, ^10 (E)standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘^(F)Woe, woe, ^(G)the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in ^(H)one hour your judgment has come.’

¹¹ “And the ^(I)merchants of the earth ^(J)weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any more— ¹² cargo of ^(K)gold, silver, precious ^[a]stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; every kind of citron wood, every article of ivory, and every article made from very valuable wood, ^[b]bronze, iron, and marble; ¹³ cinnamon, ^[c]spice, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, and cargo of horses, carriages, ^[d]slaves, and ^(L)human lives. ¹⁴ The fruit ^[e]you long for has left you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and people will no longer find them. ¹⁵ The ^(M)merchants of ^(N)these things, who became rich from her, will ^(O)stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, ¹⁶ saying, ‘^(P)Woe, woe, ^(Q)the great city, she who ^(R)was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and ^[f]adorned with gold, precious ^[g]stones, and pearls; ¹⁷ for in ^(S)one hour such great wealth has been laid ^(T)waste!’ And ^(U)every shipmaster and every ^[h]passenger and sailor, and all who ^[i]make their living by the sea, ^(V)stood at a distance, ¹⁸ and were ^(W)crying out as they ^(X)saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘^(Y)What city is like ^(Z)the great city?’ ¹⁹ And they threw ^(AA)dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘^(AB)Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea ^(AC)became rich from her prosperity, for in ^(AD)one hour she has been laid ^(AE)waste!’ ^20 (AF)Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you ^[j]saints and ^(AG)apostles and prophets, because ^(AH)God has ^[k]pronounced judgment for you against her.”

²¹ Then ^[l]a ^(AI)strong angel ^(AJ)picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, ^(AK)the great city, be thrown down with violence, and ^(AL)will never be found again. ²² And ^(AM)the sound of harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again; and no craftsman of any craft will ever be found in you again; and the ^(AN)sound of a mill will never be heard in you again; ²³ and the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the ^(AO)voice of the groom and bride will never be heard in you again; for your ^(AP)merchants were the powerful people of the earth, because all the nations were deceived ^(AQ)by your witchcraft. ²⁴ And in her was found the ^(AR)blood of prophets and of ^[m]saints, and of ^(AS)all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”