Revelation 18:20

Douay-Rheims Bible

Rejoice over her, thou heaven and ye holy apostles and prophets. For God hath judged your judgment on her.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Rejoice over her, heaven,and you saints, apostles, and prophets,because God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you!

King James Version (1611)
Reioyce ouer her thou heauen, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets, for God hath auenged you on her.

King James Version
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

New American Standard Bible
"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her."

New Century Version
Be happy because of this, heaven! Be happy, God's holy people and apostles and prophets! God has punished her because of what she did to you."

THE MESSAGE
"O Heaven, celebrate! And join in, saints, apostles, and prophets! God has judged her; every wrong you suffered from her has been judged."

English Standard Version
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her."

Berean Standard Bible
"Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because for you God has pronounced His judgment against her."

Contemporary English Version
The heavens should be happy with God's people and apostles and prophets. God has punished her for them."

Complete Jewish Bible
Rejoice over her, heaven! Rejoice, people of God, emissaries and prophets! For in judging her, God has vindicated you.

Darby Translation
Rejoice over her, heaven, and [ye] saints and apostles and prophets; for God has judged your judgment upon her.

Easy-to-Read Version
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.'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
O heauen, reioyce of her, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets: for God hath punished her to be reuenged on her for your sakes.

George Lamsa Translation
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and angels, apostles, and prophets, for God has avenged you on her.

Good News Translation
Be glad, heaven, because of her destruction! Be glad, God's people and the apostles and prophets! For God has condemned her for what she did to you!

Lexham English Bible
Rejoice over her, heaven and the saints and the apostles and the prophets, because God has pronounced your judgment on her!"

Literal Translation
Rejoice over her, Heaven, and the holy apostles, and the prophets, because God judged your judgment on her.

Amplified Bible
"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints (God's people) and apostles and prophets [who were martyred], because God has executed vengeance for you [through righteous judgment] upon her."

American Standard Version
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.

Bible in Basic English
Be glad over her, heaven, and you saints, and Apostles, and prophets; because she has been judged by God on your account.

Hebrew Names Version
Rejoice over her, O heaven, you holy ones, you apostles, and you prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her."

International Standard Version
Gloat over her, heaven, saints, apostles, and prophets! For God has condemned her for you."

Etheridge Translation
Rejoice over her, heaven, and the angels and apostles and prophets, because Aloha hath judged your judgment upon her.

Murdock Translation
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and ye Angels, and Legates, and Prophets; because God judgeth your cause with her.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Reioyce ouer her thou heauen, and ye holy apostles and prophetes: for God hath geuen your iudgement on her.

English Revised Version
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.

World English Bible
Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, you apostles, and you prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and apostles, and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

Weymouth's New Testament
Rejoice over her, O Heaven, and you saints and Apostles and Prophets; for God has taken vengeance upon her because of you."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Heuene, and hooli apostlis, and prophetis, make ye ful out ioye on it, for God hath demed youre dom of it.

Update Bible Version
Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you saints, and you apostles, and you prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.

Webster's Bible Translation
Rejoice over her [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

New English Translation
(Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has pronounced judgment against her on your behalf!)

New King James Version
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles [fn] and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"

New Living Translation
Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.

New Life Bible
"Be full of joy because of her, O heaven! Be full of joy, you who belong to God and missionaries and early preachers! For God has punished her for what she did to you."

New Revised Standard
Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints and apostles and prophets! For God has given judgment for you against her.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be glad over her, thou heaven! And ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets! For that God hath exacted your vindication from her.

Revised Standard Version
Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Reioyce over her thou heven and ye holy Apostles and prophetes: for god hath geven youre iudgment on her.

Young's Literal Translation
`Be glad over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, because God did judge your judgment of her!'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Reioyce ouer her thou heaue, and ye holy Apostles, and prophetes: for God hath geuen youre iudgmet on her.

Mace New Testament (1729)
O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, triumph at her ruin, since God hath avenged you on her.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"But heaven rejoices at her destruction. God's cowboys, prophets, and apostles all let out a cheer. God has paid the whore back for all she did to God's people."

Contextual Overview

⁹ And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived in delicacies with her, shall weep and bewail themselves over her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning: ¹⁰ Standing afar off for fear of her torments, saying: Alas! alas! that great city, Babylon, that mighty city: for in one hour is thy judgment come. ¹¹ And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her: for no man shall buy their merchandise any more. ¹² 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 of vessels of ivory: and all manner of vessels of precious stone and of brass and of iron and of marble: ¹³ And cinnamon and odours and ointment 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. ¹⁴ And the fruits of the desire of thy soul are departed from thee: and all fat and goodly things are perished from thee. And they shall find them no more at all. ¹⁵ The merchants of these things, who were made rich, shall stand afar off from her, for fear of her torments, weeping and mourning, ¹⁶ And saying: Alas! alas! that great city, which was clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet and was gilt with gold and precious stones and pearls. ¹⁷ For in one hour are so great riches come to nought. And every shipmaster and all that sail into the lake, and mariners, and as many as work in the sea, stood afar off, ¹⁸ And cried, seeing the place of her burning, saying: What city is like to this great city?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rejoice: Revelation 19:1-3, Judges 5:31, Psalms 48:11, Psalms 58:10, Psalms 96:11-13, Psalms 107:42, Psalms 109:28, Proverbs 11:10, Isaiah 44:23, Isaiah 49:13, Jeremiah 51:47, Jeremiah 51:48

and ye: It is peculiarly worthy of remark, that the apostles, who are idolatrously honoured at Rome, and daily worshipped, should be specially mentioned as rejoicing in her fall; as if it "avenged them" on her, for the dishonour cast on their characters, while it vindicated the glory of God. Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 3:5, Ephesians 4:11, 2 Peter 3:2, Jude 1:17

God: Revelation 6:10, Revelation 19:2, Deuteronomy 32:42, Psalms 18:47, Psalms 94:1, Isaiah 26:21, Luke 11:49, Luke 11:50, Luke 18:7, Luke 18:8

Reciprocal: Numbers 31:2 - Avenge Deuteronomy 32:43 - avenge Judges 5:2 - for the avenging 1 Samuel 2:1 - my mouth 1 Samuel 28:16 - Wherefore 2 Samuel 4:8 - the Lord 2 Kings 9:7 - I may avenge 2 Chronicles 20:27 - the Lord 2 Chronicles 23:21 - General 2 Chronicles 24:22 - The Lord Job 22:19 - righteous Job 27:23 - clap Job 34:26 - in Psalms 5:11 - But Psalms 7:7 - So Psalms 21:13 - so will Psalms 52:6 - righteous Psalms 68:3 - But Psalms 72:4 - the oppressor Psalms 72:14 - precious Psalms 79:10 - by the Psalms 92:4 - General Psalms 97:8 - because Psalms 118:15 - voice Psalms 137:8 - happy Proverbs 24:16 - but Proverbs 29:16 - but Isaiah 13:3 - them that Isaiah 14:2 - whose captives they were Isaiah 14:3 - General Isaiah 14:4 - How Isaiah 14:7 - they Isaiah 34:8 - General Isaiah 34:13 - an habitation Isaiah 35:10 - and come Isaiah 43:14 - For Isaiah 47:3 - I will take Isaiah 48:20 - with a voice Isaiah 49:25 - I will contend Isaiah 52:8 - with Isaiah 63:4 - General Jeremiah 11:20 - let Jeremiah 15:15 - remember Jeremiah 20:12 - let me Jeremiah 25:14 - I Jeremiah 26:19 - Thus Jeremiah 51:24 - General Jeremiah 51:26 - desolate for ever Jeremiah 51:35 - The violence Jeremiah 51:56 - the Lord Jeremiah 51:62 - to cut Joel 3:2 - will plead Micah 7:9 - until Micah 7:10 - mine Nahum 3:19 - shall Habakkuk 2:8 - the violence Habakkuk 2:17 - because Matthew 10:2 - apostles Luke 6:13 - apostles Acts 3:21 - holy Romans 3:5 - Is God 2 Thessalonians 1:6 - General 2 Timothy 4:14 - reward Hebrews 3:1 - holy Revelation 1:7 - Even So Revelation 12:12 - rejoice Revelation 12:17 - to make Revelation 13:6 - and them Revelation 13:15 - cause Revelation 16:6 - for they are Revelation 17:6 - drunken Revelation 18:9 - shall bewail Revelation 18:11 - the merchants Revelation 21:14 - and in Revelation 22:6 - the holy

Cross-References

Genesis 4:10
And he said to him: What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth to me from the earth.

Genesis 13:13
And the men of Sodom were very wicked, and sinners before the face of the Lord beyond measure.

Genesis 19:13
For we will destroy this place, because their cry is grown loud before the Lord, who hath sent us to destroy them.

Isaiah 3:9
The shew of their countenance hath answered them: and they have proclaimed abroad their sin as Sodom, and they have not hid it: woe to their souls, for evils are rendered to them.

Isaiah 5:7
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel: and the man of Juda, his pleasant plant: and I looked that he should do judgment, and behold iniquity: and do justice, and behold a cry.

Jeremiah 14:7
If our iniquities have testified against us, O Lord, do thou it for thy name’s sake, for our rebellions are many, we have sinned against thee.

James 5:4
Behold the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Rejoice over her, thou heaven,.... This is said by the voice from heaven, Revelation 18:4 which having called upon the saints to come out of Babylon, and to take vengeance on her, now calls upon all good men to rejoice at her ruin, while others were weeping and wailing; not at that, simply considered, but as the justice of God is displayed therein: heaven may be literally understood, which sometimes is addressed when anything of very considerable note and moment is done or spoken of, whether it be something exceeding bad, as in Isaiah 1:2 or something exceeding great and good, as in Psalms 96:11 or else the inhabitants of heaven, either the angels, who as they rejoice at the good and happiness of the saints, so at the confusion and destruction of their enemies; and the Syriac version reads, "heavens and angels"; or else the souls of men departed, particularly the souls under the altar, that have been long crying for vengeance on account of the shedding of their blood, Revelation 6:9 who may be made acquainted with Rome's destruction; or rather the true church of Christ upon earth, which in this book often goes by the name of heaven, in opposition to the apostate church, called the earth, because its members, doctrines, and ordinances, are from heaven, and its happiness lies there:

and ye holy apostles and prophets; the Alexandrian copy and Complutensian edition read, "and the saints, and the apostles, and prophets"; making three distinct sorts of persons, of which heaven, or the church, consists: by "saints" may be meant private members of churches, who are sanctified by the Spirit of God, and live holy lives and conversations; and by "apostles", not the twelve apostles, or persons in such an office as they were, but ordinary ministers of the word, who are sent forth to preach the Gospel, and will be upon the spot at the destruction of Babylon, and will be such as shall have preached and defended the pure apostolic doctrine; and by "prophets" are intended not the prophets of the Old Testament, nor such under the New who had the gift of foretelling things to come, but such who have a gift of interpreting the Scriptures and preaching the Gospel; the same with the two witnesses, who till this time will have prophesied in sackcloth, but shall now put it off, and put on the garments of praise and joy:

for God hath avenged you on her; or "judged your judgment on her"; that is, has executed righteous judgment on her, for all the evils done by her to the saints in ages past, the predecessors of the persons here mentioned, as well as to themselves: vengeance belongs to the Lord, and he will avenge his elect sooner or later.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Rejoice over her - Over her ruin. There is a strong contrast between this language and what precedes. Kings, merchants, and seamen, who had been countenanced and sustained by her in the indulgence of corrupt passions, or who had been enriched by traffic with her, would have occasion to mourn. But not so they who had been persecuted by her. Not so the church of the redeemed. Not so heaven itself. The great oppressor of the church, and the corrupter of the world, was now destroyed; the grand hindrance to the spread of the gospel was now removed, and all the holy in heaven and on earth would have occasion to rejoice. This is not the language of vengeance, but it is the language of exultation and rejoicing in view of the fact, that the cause of truth might now spread, without hindrance, through the earth.

Thou heaven - The inhabitants of heaven. Compare the notes on Isaiah 1:2. The meaning here is, that the dwellers in heaven - the holy angels and the redeemed - had occasion to rejoice over the downfall of the great enemy of the church.

And ye holy apostles - Prof. Stuart renders this, “Ye saints, and apostles, and prophets.” In the common Greek text, it is, as in our version, “holy apostles and prophets.” In the text of Griesbach, Hahn, and Tittmann, the word καὶ kai (and) is interposed between the word “holy” and “apostle.” This is, doubtless, the true reading. The meaning, then, is that the “saints” in heaven are called on to rejoice over the fall of the mystical Babylon.

Apostles - The twelve who were chosen by the Saviour to be his witnesses on earth. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 9:1. The word is commonly limited to the twelve, but, in a larger sense, it is applied to other distinguished teachers and preachers of the gospel. See the notes on Acts 14:14. There is no impropriety, however, in supposing that the apostles are referred to here as such, since they would have occasion to rejoice that the great obstacle to the reign of the Redeemer was now taken away, and that that cause in which they had suffered and died was now to he triumphant.

And prophets - Prophets of the Old Testament and distinguished teachers of the New. See the notes on Romans 12:6. All these would have occasion to rejoice in the prospect of the final triumph of the true religion.

For God hath avenged you on her - Has taken vengeance on her for her treatment of you. That is, as she had persecuted the church as such, they all might be regarded as interested in it and affected by it. All the redeemed, therefore, in earth and in heaven, are interested in whatever tends to retard or to promote the cause of truth. All have occasion to mourn when the enemies of the truth triumph; to rejoice when they fall.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 18:20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven — This is grand and sublime; the fall of this bad city was cause of grief to bad men. But as this city was a persecutor of the godly, and an enemy to the works of God, angels, apostles, and prophets are called to rejoice over her fall.