Revelation 17–20

17TH CHAPTER

Babylon the Great

¹One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of that notorious prostitute who sits on raging waters. ²The kings of the earth had sex with her, and those living on earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual sins.” ³Then the angel carried me by his power into the wilderness. 

I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast covered with insulting names. It had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴The woman wore purple clothes, bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls. In her hand she was holding a gold cup filled with detestable and evil things from her sexual sins. ⁵A name was written on her forehead. The name was Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things of the Earth. ⁶I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and of those who testify about Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her. 

⁷The angel asked me, “Why are you surprised? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her. 

⁸“You saw the beast which once was, is no longer, and will come from the bottomless pit and go to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life when the world was created, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again. 

⁹“In this situation a wise mind is needed. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is sitting. ¹⁰They are also seven kings. Five of them have fallen, one is ruling now, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain for a little while. ¹¹The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king. It belongs with the seven kings and goes to its destruction. 

¹²“The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet started to rule. They will receive authority to rule as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³They have one purpose—to give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴They will go to war against the lamb. The lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him.” 

¹⁵The angel also said to me, “The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, crowds, nations, and languages. ¹⁶The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her abandoned and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her up in a fire. ¹⁷God has made them do what he wants them to do. So they will give their kingdom to the beast until God’s words are carried out. ¹⁸The woman you saw is the important city which dominates the kings of the earth.” 

18TH CHAPTER

Babylon’s Fall

¹After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. ²He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean^abird, and every unclean and hated beast. ³All the nations fell because of the wine of her sexual sins. The kings of the earth had sex with her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich.” 

⁴I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. ⁵Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. ⁶Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. ⁷She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, ‘I’m a queen on a throne, not a widow. I’ll never be miserable.’ ⁸For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful. 

⁹“The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. ¹⁰Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say, 

‘How horrible, how horrible it is for that important city, 

the powerful city Babylon! 

In one moment judgment has come to it!’ 

¹¹“The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore. ¹²No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, ¹³cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans). 

¹⁴‘The fruit you craved is gone. 

All your luxuries and your splendor have disappeared. 

No one will ever find them again.’ 

¹⁵“Frightened by her torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn, ¹⁶saying, 

‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city 

which was wearing fine linen, purple clothes, 

bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls. 

¹⁷In one moment all this wealth has been destroyed!’ 

Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. ¹⁸When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’ ¹⁹Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning, 

‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city. 

Everyone who had a ship at sea 

grew rich because of that city’s high prices. 

In one moment it has been destroyed!’ 

²⁰“Gloat over it, heaven, God’s people, apostles, and prophets. 

God has condemned it for you.” 

²¹Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said, 

“The important city Babylon will be thrown down with the same force. 

It will never be found again. 

²²The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters 

will never be heard in it again. 

A skilled craftsman—regardless of the type of craft— 

will never be found in it again. 

The sound of a millstone 

will never be heard in it again. 

²³Light from lamps 

will never shine in it again. 

Voices of brides and grooms 

will never be heard in it again. 

Its merchants were the important people of the world, 

because all the nations were deceived by its witchcraft. 

²⁴“The blood of prophets, God’s people, and everyone who had been murdered on earth was found in it.” 

19TH CHAPTER

The Lamb’s Wedding

¹After these things I heard what sounded like the loud noise from a large crowd in heaven, saying, 

“Hallelujah! 

Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God. 

²His judgments are true and fair. 

He has condemned the notorious prostitute 

who corrupted the world with her sexual sins. 

He has taken revenge on her for the blood of his servants.” 

³A second time they said, “Hallelujah! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.” ⁴The 24 leaders and the 4 living creatures bowed and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They said, “Amen! Hallelujah!” ⁵A voice came from the throne. It said, “Praise our God, all who serve and fear him, no matter who you are.” 

⁶I heard what sounded like the noise from a large crowd, like the noise of raging waters, like the noise of loud thunder, saying, 

“Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty, has become king. 

⁷Let us rejoice, be happy, and give him glory 

because it’s time for the marriage of the lamb. 

His bride has made herself ready. 

⁸She has been given the privilege of wearing 

dazzling, pure linen.” 

This fine linen represents the things that God’s holy people do that have his approval. 

⁹Then the angel said to me, “Write this: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the lamb’s wedding banquet.’ ” He also told me, “These are God’s true words.” ¹⁰I bowed at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Don’t do that! I am your coworker and a coworker of the Christians who hold on to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy!” 

The Great Banquet of God

¹¹I saw heaven standing open. There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity he judges and wages war. ¹²His eyes are flames of fire. On his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him, but only he knows what it is. ¹³He wears clothes dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 

¹⁴The armies of heaven, wearing pure, white linen, follow him on white horses. ¹⁵A sharp sword comes out of his mouth to defeat the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter and tread the winepress of the fierce anger of God Almighty. ¹⁶On his clothes and his thigh he has a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

¹⁷I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come! Gather for the great banquet of God. ¹⁸Eat the flesh of kings, generals, warriors, horses and their riders, and all free people and slaves, both important or insignificant people.” 

¹⁹I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰The beast and the false prophet who had done miracles for the beast were captured. By these miracles the false prophet had deceived those who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ²¹The rider on the horse killed the rest with the sword that came out of his mouth. All the birds gorged themselves on the flesh of those who had been killed. 

20TH CHAPTER

An Angel Overpowers the Devil

¹I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand. ²He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years. ³He threw it into the bottomless pit. The angel shut and…