AND after these things I saw an angel descending from heaven, having
great authority; and the earth was enlightened by his glory. (2)And he
cried mightily with a great voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen,
is fallen, and is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of
every impure spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
(3)Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the rage of her
whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her,
and the merchants of the earth have been enriched by the excess of her
profligate luxury.
(4)And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth out of
her, my people, that ye have no share in her sins, and that so ye may
not receive of her plagues. (5)For her sins have reached unto heaven,
and God hath remembered her iniquities. (6)Render to her as she also
hath done to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the
cup which she hath mingled mingle for her double. (7)As much as she
hath glorified herself, and rioted in luxury, so much torment and
sorrow give her: because she hath said in her heart, I sit a queen, and
am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (8)Therefore in one hour shall
all her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine: and she shall be
consumed with fire; because mighty is the Lord God, who judgeth her.
(9)And the kings of the earth who have committed whoredom with her, and
shared in her luxuries, shall bewail her, and lament bitterly over her,
when they see the smoke of her burning, (10)standing afar off through
terror of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon,
that strong city! how in one hour is thy judgment come upon thee!
(11)And the merchants of the earth wept and wailed over her: because no
man buyeth their merchandise any more: (12)the merchandise of gold and
of silver, and of precious stones, and of pearl, and of fine linen, and
of purple, and of silk, and of scarlet, and every sweet scented wood,
and every ivory vessel, and every vessel of most precious wood, and of
gold, and of iron, and of marble, (13)and cinnamon, and perfumes, and
myrrh, and libanum, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and
cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies, and
the souls of men. (14)And the delicate autumnal fruit of thy soul's
earnest longing is gone from thee, and all things that are dainty and
that are splendid are departed from thee, and never shalt thou find
them any more.
(15)The merchants of these things who enriched themselves by her, shall
stand afar off through terror of her torment, weeping and wailing,
(16)and saying, Alas, alas, the great city, which was clothed in fine
linen, and purple, and scarlet, and overlaid with gold, and precious
stones, and pearls! how in one hour is so great wealth laid waste!
(17)And every pilot, and all the crew in the ships, and the mariners,
and as many as exercise their labours on the sea, stood afar off,
(18)and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What is
like that great city! (19)And they cast dust upon their heads, and
cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, by
which all who occupied ships on the sea were enriched from her
opulence! how in one hour is she made desolate!
(20)Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye the holy apostles and
prophets, for God hath adjudged her to punishment, for the judgment
inflicted on you by her. (21)And a mighty angel took up a stone as a
great milstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, So with rapidity
shall the great city Babylon be hurled into the deep, and never shall
be found more. (22)And the sound of harpers, and musicians, and flute
players, and trumpeters, shall never be heard in thee more; and no
artificer of whatever trade shall be found in thee any more; and the
sound of a milstone shall be heard in thee no more; (23)and never shall
the light of a lamp shine in thee any more; and the voice of the
bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard in thee no more: because thy
merchants were the grandees of the earth; because all nations were
deluded by thy magical incantation. (24)And in her was found the blood
of prophets, and holy men, and of all who have been slaughtered upon
the earth.