Revelation, 18

1. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

1. After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. So great was his authority that the whole earth was lit up with his glory.

2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

2. In a strong voice he cried out: "Fallen is Babylon the great! Fallen! She has become a haunt of demons, a lodge for every unclean spirit, a nest for any filthy and disgusting bird.

3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

3. She has made all nations drunk with the wine of her lewdness, fornicated with kings of the earth, and glutted the world's merchants with her wantonness and wealth."

4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

4. Then I heard another voice from heaven: "Depart from her, my people, lest you share in her evil and so share in her punishments;

5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

5. for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God keeps count of her crimes.

6. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

6. Give back to her as she has given, pay her twice for what she has done. Let her drink a double portion of what she made others do.

7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

7. Give her as much torment and grief as the wantonness she enjoyed herself. For she said to herself, 'I sit as queen, I am not a widow, never will I go into mourning!'

8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her.

8. And so, suddenly, her plagues will come - death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord, the judge, who has passed sentence on her."

9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

9. The kings who shared her luxury and committed adultery with her will see the smoke as she burns, and they will weep and lament.

10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

10. They will nevertheless keep their distance, terrified at her punishment, and exclaim: "Alas, alas! Great city that you are, O Babylon, seat of power! Your doom has come in a single hour!"

11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

11. The merchants of the world will mourn over her, for they will lose a market for their goods -

12. The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

12. their cargoes of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple garments, silk and scarlet cloth, fragrant wood, ivory pieces and expensive furniture, bronze, iron and marble,

13. And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

13. cinnamon and spices, perfume, myrrh and frankincense, wine and olive oil, fine flour and grain, cattle and sheep, horses and carriages, slaves and human lives.

14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

14. They will say: "Gone is the fruit you longed for. Gone are your luxury and splendor. Never will you recover them, never!"

15. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

15. The merchants who dealt in these goods, who grew rich from business with the city, will stand at a safe distance for fear of her punishment. Weeping and mourning,

16. And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

16. they will cry out: "Woe, woe to the great city, to the linen and purple and scarlet you wore, to your gold and pearls, your finery,

17. For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

17. your great wealth destroyed in an hour!" Every captain and navigator, every sailor and seafarer, will stand afar,

18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like unto this great city!

18. crying out on seeing the smoke going up as the city burns to the ground. "What city could have compared with this one?"

19. And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

19. They will pour dust on their heads and cry out in mourning: "Alas, alas, great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich through her trade! In an hour she has been devastated."

20. Rejoice over her, [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

20. Rejoice over her, O heavens! Rejoice, prophets, saints and apostles! God has rendered justice to you.

21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

21. A powerful angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying: "With such violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, never again to be seen.

22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

22. Never again will tunes of harpists, minstrels, trumpeters and flutists be heard in you. Never again will an artisan of any trade be found in you. Never again will the noise of the mill be heard.

23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

23. Never again will the light of a lamp shine in you. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never again be heard in you. Because your traders were the world's great and you led the nations astray by your magic spell.

24. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

24. In this city was found blood of prophets and saints - yes, the blood of all who have been slain on the earth."