Revelation 18
1After these things, I saw another angel descending from heaven, possessing great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. 2He cried out with a mighty voice, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean bird, and a prison for every unclean and loathsome beast. 3For all the nations have collapsed from the wine of the inflammatory passion of her prostitution; the kings of the earth committed illicit acts with her, and the merchants of the earth grew wealthy from the power of her unrestrained luxury.”
4Then I heard another voice from heaven saying: “Come out of her, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and so that you do not receive a share of her plagues. 5For her sins have been piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 6Pay her back exactly as she herself paid out; double it—give her double according to her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix a double-strength draught for her. 7To the same extent that she glorified herself and lived in unrestrained luxury, give her that much torment and grief. For in her heart she says, ‘I sit enthroned as a queen; I am no widow, and I will never see grief.’ 8Because of this, her plagues will come in a single day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed with fire. For the Lord God who has judged her is mighty.
9The kings of the earth, who committed illicit acts and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10They will stand far off because of the fear of her torment, saying: ‘Woe, woe, you great city! Babylon, you mighty city! For in a single hour your judgment has come.’
11And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore— 12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine linen, purple fabric, silk, and scarlet cloth; every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory; every article made of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13cinnamon, amomum spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; cattle and sheep, horses and luxury carriages; and bodies—that is, the human lives of men.
14The fruit of your soul’s desire has left you, and all your delicacies and splendors have perished from you; people will never find them again.
15The merchants of these things, who grew wealthy from her, will stand far off because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying: ‘Woe, woe, you great city, clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls! 17For in a single hour such vast wealth has been laid waste.’ And every shipmaster, every coastal voyager, sailors, and all who work the sea, stood far off 18and cried out as they watched the smoke of her burning, saying: ‘What city was ever like this great city?’
19And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, saying: ‘Woe, woe, you great city, in which all who had ships on the sea grew wealthy from her abundance! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.’
20Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy ones, apostles, and prophets! For God has exacted from her the justice owed to you.”
21Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “With such a violent surge will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again. 22The sound of harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again; no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again; the sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again; 23the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the magnates of the earth, and all the nations were led astray by your deceptive sorcery. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets and holy ones, and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”