After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his glory.
He called out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxury.”
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins, and so that you do not share in her plagues;
for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
Pay her back even as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double according to her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
As much as she glorified herself and lived in luxury, as much torment and grief give her; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen; I am no widow, and I will never mourn.’
Therefore her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
And the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and lived in luxury will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning,
standing far off because of the fear of her torment, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, you great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.’
And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any more—
cargo of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple cloth, silk and scarlet cloth, every sort of citron wood, every sort of object of ivory, every sort of object of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;
cargo of cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour and wheat;
cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and human slaves—that is, human souls.
The fruit you longed for is gone from you, and all your luxury is lost;
never again will you find it.
The merchants of these things, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, because they are afraid of her torment, weeping and mourning;
they will say, ‘Alas, alas, you great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls!
In one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’
All shipmasters and seafarers, sailors and all who make their living on the sea, will stand far off,
and cry out as they look at the smoke of her burning, ‘What city was like the great city?’
They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out, ‘Alas, alas, you great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich from her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.’
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has given judgment for you against her!”
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 be found no more;
and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more;
and no craftsman of any trade will be found in you any more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more;
and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more;
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.”
This is the Patristics text that appears when you select Patristics.
