Babylon Is Fallen

1After these things I saw another angel coming down out of Heaven, having great authority; and the earth was illumined with his glory. 2And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, "Babylon the great fell, fell, and became a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird; 3because, in consequence of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, have all the nations fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich by the power of her luxury."

4And I heard another voice out of Heaven saying, "Come forth out of her, my people, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues; 5because her sins were joined together even to Heaven, and God remembered her iniquities. 6Render to her, as she also rendered; and double the double according to her works; in the cup which she mixed, mix ye to her double. 7As much as she glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much torment and mourning give her; because she says in her heart, 'I sit a queen, and am not a widow, and shall in nowise see mourning.' 8Therefore, in one day shall come her plagues, death and mourning and famine; and she shall be burned up with fire; because strong is the Lord God who judged her.

Lament over Babylon

9"And the kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they behold the smoke of her burning; 10standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! because in one hour your judgment came!'

11"And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her; because no one buys their merchandise any more; 12merchandise of gold, and of silver, and of precious stone, and of pearls, and of fine linen, and of purple, and of silk, and of scarlet, and of every kind of fragrant wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and of brass, and of iron, and of marble, 13and cinnamon, and spice, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of slaves, and souls of men. 14And the fruit of your souls coveting departed from you, and all dainty things and sumptuous things perished from you, and in nowise shall men find them any more. 15The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, shall stand afar off because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, which was attired in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and was gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearl; 17because in one hour so great wealth was made desolate!' And every ship-master, and every one sailing to any place, and mariners, and as many as do business at sea, stood afar off; 18and they cried out, when beholding the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city?' 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all who have ships in the sea became rich by reason of her costliness! because in one hour she was made desolate.

20Rejoice over her, O Heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; because God judged your judgment on her.'

The Doom of Babylon

21And a strong angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and in nowise be found any more! 22And the voice of harpers and musicians, and flute-players and trumpeters shall in nowise be heard in you any more. And no craftsman of whatever craft shall in any wise be found in you any more; and no sound of a millstone shall ever be heard in you any more; 23and the light of a lamp shall in nowise shine in you any more: and the voice of bridegroom and of bride shall be heard in you no more; because your merchants were the princes of the earth; because by your sorcery were all the nations deceived. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.