"BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. 7 And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, because he was and is not and will come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 And they are also seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11 The beast who was, and is not, is an eighth. He belongs to the seven and he goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him are the called and chosen and faithful." 15 And he said to me, "The waters you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 And the ten horns you saw, they and the beast will hate the harlot; they will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and giving over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 The woman that you saw is the great city which has dominion over the kings of the earth." 18 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every unclean spirit, a haunt of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk the wine of her impure passion, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of her wantonness." 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. 7 As she glorified herself and played the wanton, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'A queen I sit, and I am not a widow, mourning I will never see.' 8 Therefore in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and were wanton with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; 10 they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, 'Woe, woe, the great city, the mighty city, Babylon! In one hour has your judgment come.' 11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any moreó12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and chariots; and slaves and human souls. 14 The fruit you longed for has gone from you, and all your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered. 15 The merchants of these things, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 In one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' And every shipmaster and all passengers and sailors, and all who make their living by the sea, stood far off, 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city?' 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, where all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!' 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her!" 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. 22 And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a millstone will not be heard in you any longer; 23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth." 19 1 After this I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants." 3 And again they shouted, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who is seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great." 6 Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory! For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean"; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then the angel said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name written on him which no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses, and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he cried to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who sits on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. 20 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the abyss and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any more, until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be released for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was given. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony to Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. 7 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 21 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. And he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." 5 And he who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the immoral, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." 9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 The one who talked with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its walls. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits by a man's measure, which is also an angel's. 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be shut; 26 they will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 Nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. 22 1 Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light; and they will reign for ever and ever. 6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants the things which must soon take place." 7 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." 10 And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 He who does wrong, let him do wrong still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who does right, let him do right still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still." 12 "Behold, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star." 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let him who hears say, "Come." And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wishes take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
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