Book of Revelation Chapter 18
The end of Babylon
1 After these things I saw another *angel who was coming down from *heaven. He had great authority. The bright light that shone from him made the whole world bright.
2 He shouted with a strong voice: ‘It is the end! It is the end for powerful Babylon! She has become a place where bad *spirits live. She has become a home for every bad and dirty *spirit. She is a home for every bad bird. God *hates those birds because they are not clean.
3 The people of all countries have done very wrong things because of that city. They have copied her people, like those who have drunk the same strong *wine. The rulers on the earth did wrong things because of her. They were like those who have sex with other people. They forget their husband or their wife. And the people on earth who buy and sell things have become rich. They have become rich because she bought so many expensive things from them.’
4 Then I heard God speak from *heaven. He said: ‘My people, come out of Babylon. Then you will be separate from all the bad things that the people of that city have done. Then you will not receive any of their troubles.
5 They have done so many bad things, so many that they have reached as high as *heaven. And I have not forgotten what they have done wrong.
6 I will give her people what they ought to receive. I will give it to her people because of the trouble that they have given. I will *punish them twice as badly as the bad things that they have done. Her people caused trouble, like someone who mixes a bad drink for other people. I will mix twice as much of a bad drink like that and I will give it to her people.
7 I will give her people as much pain as the pleasure that they gave to themselves. I will cause her people to be as sad as they caused themselves to be rich and happy. Her people say to themselves: “Our city sits here like a queen. We will never be sad like a woman whose husband has died.”
8 But her people’s troubles will come all together in one day. They will be sad. They will have no food. And death will come to them. Fire will destroy the city, because I, the *Lord God, am strong. And I decide what is fair for everyone.’
9 The rulers on the earth will weep and they will be sad for the city. They will see the smoke while the city burns. They will cry because they did many bad things there. They enjoyed being rich in the city and forgetting God.
10 They will stand a long way from the city because they will be afraid. They will think that God will *punish them too. And they will shout: ‘It is bad! It is very bad for you! You are the powerful, strong city that we called Babylon! In one hour God has *punished you!’
11 The people on the earth who sell things will weep for the city also. They will be sad because nobody will buy their things any more.
12 The things that they sold included: Gold and other valuable metals Valuable stones and *pearls Expensive cloth, including red and *purple cloth Expensive wood Many different things that people had made out of *horns, and out of expensive wood, metals and stone
13 Different materials that have a nice smell *Wine, *olive oil, flour and wheat (the seeds that people make flour from) Cows, sheep, horses and *carts Human slaves
14 The people who sold things will weep for the city. ‘You have lost all the good things that you wanted so much’, they will say. ‘You have lost all those expensive and valuable things, and you will never have them again.’
15 The people who sold these things became rich because of the city. They will stand a long way from the city because they will be afraid. They will think that God will *punish them too. So they will weep and be sad.
16 They will shout: ‘It is bad! It is very bad for you, powerful city! You wore beautiful *purple and red clothes. You shone with gold, valuable stones and *pearls.
17 But in one hour God has destroyed all those things, all the things that caused you to be so rich.’ All the people from the sea will stand a long way from the city. They include every ship’s captain, everyone who travels on ships, and all the sailors. They also include all other people who get their money because they work at sea.
18 They will see the smoke while the city burns. Then they will shout: ‘There was no other city like this powerful city!’
19 They will throw dirt from the ground on their heads because they are so sad. They will weep and they will shout: ‘It is bad! It is bad for the powerful city! Everyone who had ships on the sea became rich. They were rich because she was so rich. But in one hour God has destroyed her.’
20 You who live in *heaven, be happy! Be happy because God has destroyed Babylon! Be happy, God’s people and his special workers and *prophets! God has *punished the city because of what she did to you.
21 Then a strong *angel lifted a very big, round stone. People use stones like that to make flour. The *angel spoke while he threw the stone into the sea: ‘God will throw you down, powerful Babylon city. He will throw you down strongly, as I am throwing down this stone. Nobody will ever see you again.
22 Nobody will ever hear music in your streets again. Nobody will hear the sound of people who are singing. There will be nobody making music with *harps, *trumpets and other *instruments. There will be no workers, nobody doing any work. Nobody will make flour ever again. So nobody can hear the sound of the stones that break seeds for the flour.
23 No light from people’s homes will ever shine in your streets again. Nobody will ever hear the sound of men’s and women’s voices at their marriages again. Your people who sold things were the most powerful people on the earth. You caused all the countries to believe wrong things. They believed what is false because of your *magic.
24 God *punished you, Babylon, because he saw the blood of his people in your streets. Your people killed God’s people and his *prophets. The blood of everyone on earth that other people have killed was in your streets!’ note
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Topic: The end of Babylon (Read 392 times)