Revelation 16–18

16TH CHAPTER

The Seven Angels Pour Out Their Bowls

¹I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Pour the seven bowls of God’s anger over the earth.” 

²The first angel poured his bowl over the earth. Horrible, painful sores appeared on the people who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. 

³The second angel poured his bowl over the sea. The sea turned into blood like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. 

⁴The third angel poured his bowl over the rivers and the springs. They turned into blood. ⁵Then I heard the angel of the water say, 

“You are fair. 

You are the one who is and the one who was, the holy one, 

because you have judged these things. 

⁶You have given them blood to drink 

because they have poured out 

the blood of God’s people and prophets. 

This is what they deserve.” 

⁷Then I heard the altar answer, 

“Yes, Lord God Almighty, your judgments are true and fair.” 

⁸The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun. The sun was allowed to burn people with fire. ⁹They were severely burned. They cursed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues. They would not change the way they think and act and give him glory. 

¹⁰The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom turned dark. People gnawed on their tongues in anguish ¹¹and cursed the God of heaven for their pains and their sores. However, they would not stop what they were doing. 

¹²The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. The water in the river dried up to make a road for the kings from the east. ¹³Then I saw three evil spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the serpent, the beast, and the false prophet. ¹⁴They are spirits of demons that do miracles. These spirits go to the kings of the whole world and gather them for the war on the frightening day of God Almighty. 

¹⁵“See, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains alert and doesn’t lose his clothes. He will not have to go naked and let others see his shame.” 

¹⁶The spirits gathered the kings at the place which is called Armageddon in Hebrew. 

¹⁷The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the temple, and said, “It has happened!” ¹⁸There was lightning, noise, thunder, and a powerful earthquake. There has never been such a powerful earthquake since humans have been on earth. ¹⁹The important city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine from his fierce anger. ²⁰Every island vanished, and the mountains could no longer be seen. ²¹Large, heavy hailstones fell from the sky on people. The people cursed God because the plague of hail was such a terrible plague. 

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.”