the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Easy-to-Read Version
Revelation 18
Babylon Is Destroyed
1 Then I saw another angel coming down from heaven. This angel had great power. The angel's glory made the earth bright. 2 The angel shouted with a powerful voice,
"She is destroyed!
The great city of Babylon is destroyed!
She has become a home for demons.
That city has become a place for every unclean spirit to live.
She is a city filled with all kinds of unclean birds.
She is a place where every unclean and hated animal lives.
3 All the peoples of the earth have drunk the wine
of her sexual sin and of God's anger.
The rulers of the earth sinned sexually with her,
and the merchants of the world grew rich from the great wealth of her luxury."
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say,
"Come out of that city, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins.
Then you will not suffer any of the terrible punishment she will get.
5 That city's sins are piled up as high as heaven.
God has not forgotten the wrongs she has done.
6 Give that city the same as she gave to others.
Pay her back twice as much as she did.
Prepare wine for her that is twice as strong
as the wine she prepared for others.
7 She gave herself much glory and rich living.
Give her that much suffering and sadness.
She says to herself, ‘I am a queen sitting on my throne.
I am not a widow;
I will never be sad.'
8 So in one day she will suffer
great hunger, mourning, and death.
She will be destroyed by fire,
because the Lord God who judges her is powerful.
9 "The rulers of the earth who sinned sexually with her and shared her wealth will see the smoke from her burning. Then they will cry and be sad because of her death. 10 The rulers will be afraid of her suffering and stand far away. They will say,
‘Terrible! How terrible, O great city,
O powerful city of Babylon!
Your punishment came in one hour!'
11 "And the merchants of the earth will cry and be sad for her. They will be sad because now there is no one to buy the things they sell— 12 gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen cloth, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth, all kinds of citron wood, and all kinds of things made from ivory, expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble. 13 They also sell cinnamon, spice, incense, frankincense, myrrh, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, and slaves—yes, even human lives. The merchants will cry and say,
14 ‘O Babylon, the good things you wanted have left you.
All your rich and fancy things have disappeared.
You will never have them again.'
15 "The merchants will be afraid of her suffering and will stand far away from her. They are the ones who became rich from selling those things to her. They will cry and be sad. 16 They will say,
‘Terrible! How terrible for the great city!
She was dressed in fine linen;
she wore purple and scarlet cloth.
She was shining with gold, jewels, and pearls!
17 All these riches have been destroyed in one hour!'
"Every sea captain, all those who travel on ships, the sailors, and all those who earn money from the sea stood far away from Babylon. 18 They saw the smoke from her burning. They cried out, ‘There was never a city like this great city!' 19 They threw dust on their heads and cried loudly to show the deep sorrow they felt. They said,
‘Terrible! How terrible for the great city!
All those who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth!
But she has been destroyed in one hour!
20 Be happy because of this, O heaven!
Be happy, God's holy people and apostles and prophets!
God has punished her because of what she did to you.'"
21 Then a powerful angel picked up a large rock. This rock was as big as a large millstone. The angel threw the rock into the sea and said,
"That is how the great city of Babylon will be thrown down.
It will never be found again.
22 O Babylon, the music of people playing harps and other instruments, flutes and trumpets
will never be heard in you again.
No worker doing any job
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voices of a bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world's great people.
All the nations were tricked by your magic.
24 You are guilty of the death of the prophets, of God's holy people,
and of all those who have been killed on earth."
