CHAPTER X.
THE FALL OF BABYLON.
1 17:1AND one of the seven angels having the seven bowls came and spoke to me, saying, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 17:2with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
2 17:3And he bore me away into the wilderness in the Spirit. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, [the beast] full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. 17:4And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the impurities of the fornication of the earth, 17:5and on her forehead the names inscribed, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 17:6And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, and I wondered when I saw her with great wonder.
3 17:7And the angel said to me, Why did you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast which carries her, having the seven heads and ten horns. 17:8The beast which you saw was and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss, and goes to destruction; and those who live on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder, when they see the beast that he was and is not and is to come. 17:9Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits, 17:10and are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes must continue a short time. 17:11And the beast which was and is not, he also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to destruction.
4 17:12And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 17:13These have one will, and give their power and their authority to the beast. 17:14They shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall conquer them,—for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. 17:15And he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 17:16And the ten horns which you saw and the beast shall hate the harlot, and make her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; 17:17for God has put it into their hearts to do his will and to have one will and give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God are finished. 17:18And the woman which you saw is the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.
5 18:1After this I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lighted by his glory. 18:2And he cried with a loud voice, saving, Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen, and has become a habitation of demons, and a haunt of every impure spirit, and a haunt of every impure and hateful bird, 18:3because all nations have drank of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich from the greatness of her luxury.
6 18:4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you may not partake of her sins, and receive of her plagues; 18:5for her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her wickedness. 18:6Render to her as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; of the cup that she has mixed, mix to her double; 18:7as much as she glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much distress and sorrow give her. For she says in her mind, I sit a queen and am not a widow and I see not sorrow. 18:8Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death and sorrow and famine, and she shall be burnt with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.
7 18:9And the kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her shall weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 18:10standing at a distance on account of fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, the great city, Babylon the mighty city, for in one hour your judgment has come. 18:11And the merchants of the earth shall weep and lament for her, because no one buys their wares any more, 18:12wares of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls, and linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every implement of ivory and every implement of most precious wood, of brass and iron and marble, 18:13cinnamon and amomum and incense and ointment and frankincense, and wine and oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and of horses and chariots and servants, and souls of men. 18:14And the fruit of your soul's desire has gone from you, and all precious and shining stores have perished from you, and you shall find them no more.
8 18:15And dealers in these things, and those who became rich by her, shall stand afar off for fear of her distress, weeping and lamenting, 18:16saying, Alas, alas, the great city, that was clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, 18:17for in one hour are so great riches made a desolation. And every sailing-master and every one who sails to the place, and sailors and all that work on the sea, shall stand afar off, 18:18and looking on the smoke of its burning, cry, saying, What city is like this great city? 18:19And they shall cast dust on their heads, and cry weeping and lamenting, saying, Alas, alas, the great city, by which all were enriched who had ships on the sea on account of her costly merchandise, for in one hour is it made desolate. 18:20Rejoice over her, heaven, and you holy angels and apostles and prophets, for God has executed your judgment on her.
9 18:21And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon the great city be cast down, and shall be found no more. 18:22And the voice of harpers and singers and of those that play on flutes and trumpets shall be heard in you no more. And no artisan of any art shall be found in you any more, and the sound of a mill shall be heard in you no more, 18:23and the light of a candle shall shine in you no more, and the voice of a bridegroom and of a bride shall be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, for all nations were deceived by your magic arts, 18:24and in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all that have been killed on the earth.