²The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land. Ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his statue.

³The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. It turned into blood like the blood of a dead person. Every living thing in the sea died.

⁴The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and on the springs of water. They became blood.

⁵Then I heard the angel who was in charge of the waters. He said,

“The way you judge is fair.

You are the Holy One.

You are the One who is and who was.

⁶The beast’s worshipers have poured out the life’s blood of your people and your prophets.

So you have given those worshipers blood to drink.

That’s exactly what they should get.”

⁷Then I heard the altar reply,

“Lord God who rules over all,

the way you judge is true and fair.”

⁸The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. The sun was allowed to burn people with fire. ⁹They were burned by the blazing heat. So they spoke evil things against the name of God, who controlled these plagues. But they refused to turn away from their sins. They did not give glory to God.

¹⁰The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. The kingdom of the beast became very dark. People bit their tongues because they were suffering so much. ¹¹They spoke evil things against the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. But they refused to turn away from the sins they had committed.

¹²The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.

¹³Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs. They came out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. ¹⁴They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs. They go out to gather the kings of the whole world for battle. That battle will take place on the great day of the God who rules over all.

¹⁵“Look! I am coming like a thief! Blessed are those who stay awake and keep their clothes with them. They will not be caught naked. They will not be put to shame.”

¹⁶Then the evil spirits gathered the kings together. The place where the kings met is called Armageddon in the Hebrew language.

¹⁷The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. Out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne. It said, “It is done!”

¹⁸Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, thunder and a powerful earthquake. There has never been an earthquake as terrible as this since man has lived on earth. ¹⁹The great city split into three parts. The cities of the nations crumbled and fell. God remembered Babylon the Great. He gave her the cup filled with the wine of his terrible anger.

²⁰Every island ran away. The mountains could not be found. ²¹Huge hailstones of about 100 pounds each fell from the sky. The hail crushed people. They spoke evil things against God because the plague of hail was so terrible.

The Woman and the Beast

17One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me. He said, “Come. I will show you how the great prostitute will be punished. She is the one who sits on many waters. ²The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways. The people living on earth were drunk with the wine of her terrible sins.”

³Then the angel carried me away in a vision. The Holy Spirit took me into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast. It was covered with names that say evil things that are displeasing to God. It had seven heads and ten horns.

⁴The woman was dressed in purple and bright red. She was gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup filled with things that God hates. It was filled with her terrible, dirty sins. ⁵Here is the name that was written on her forehead.

Mystery

The Great City of Babylon

The Mother of Prostitutes

The Mother of Everything on Earth That God Hates

⁶I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s people. They are the ones who gave witness to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was very amazed.

⁷Then the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides on. The beast is the one who has the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸The beast that you saw used to exist. But now he does not. He will come up out of the Abyss. He will be destroyed. Some of the people who live on the earth will be amazed when they see the beast. Their names have not been written in the Book of Life from the time the world was created. They will be amazed because even though the beast used to exist and now does not, he will come again.

⁹“Here is a problem that you have to be wise to understand. The seven heads are seven hills that the woman sits on. ¹⁰They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is ruling, and the other has still not come. When he does come, he must remain for a little while.

¹¹“The beast who used to exist, and now does not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the other seven. He will be destroyed.

¹²“The ten horns you saw are ten kings. They have not yet received a kingdom. But for one hour they will receive authority to rule together with the beast. ¹³They have only one purpose. So they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴They will make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will overcome them because he is the most powerful Lord of all and the greatest King of all. His appointed, chosen and faithful followers will be with him.”

¹⁵Then the angel spoke to me. “You saw the waters the prostitute sits on,” he said. “They stand for all the nations of the world, no matter what their race or language is. ¹⁶The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will destroy her and leave her naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. ¹⁷God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose. So they agreed to give the beast their power to rule. They will give him that power until God’s words come true.

¹⁸“The woman you saw stands for the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Babylon Falls

18After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority. His glory filled the earth with light. ²With a mighty voice he shouted,

“Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!

She has become a place where demons live.

She has become a den for every evil spirit.

She has become a nest for every ‘unclean’ and hated bird.

³All the nations have drunk

the strong wine of her terrible sins.

The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways.

The traders of the world grew rich from her great wealth.”

⁴Then I heard another voice from heaven. It said,

“Come out of her, my people.

Then you will not take part in her sins.

You will not suffer from any of her plagues.

⁵Her sins are piled up to heaven.

God has remembered her crimes.

⁶Do to her as she has done to others.

Pay her back double for what she has done.

Mix her a double dose of what she has mixed for others.

⁷Give her as much pain and suffering

as the glory and wealth she gave herself.

She brags to herself,

‘I rule like a queen. I am not a widow.

I will never be sad.’

⁸But she will be plagued by death, sadness and hunger.

In a single day they will all catch up with her.

She will be burned up by fire.

The Lord God who judges her is mighty.

⁹“The kings of the earth who committed terrible sins with her will sob. They will be sad because they used to share her riches. They will see the smoke rising as she burns. ¹⁰They will be terrified by her suffering. Standing far away, they will exclaim,

“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city!

How terrible for you, Babylon, city of power!

In just one hour you have been destroyed!’

¹¹“The traders of the world will cry and be sad over her. No one buys what they sell anymore. ¹²Here is what they had for sale.

Gold, silver, jewels, pearls.

Fine linen, purple, silk, bright red cloth.

Every kind of expensive wood.

All sorts of articles made out of ivory, valuable wood, bronze, iron and marble.

¹³Cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense.

Wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat.

Cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, human slaves.

¹⁴“The merchants will say, ‘The pleasure you longed for has left you. All your riches and glory have disappeared forever.’ ¹⁵The traders who sold these things and became rich because of her will stand far away. Her suffering will terrify them. They will cry and be sad. ¹⁶They will cry out,

“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city,

dressed in fine linen, purple and bright red!

How terrible for you, great city, gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls!

¹⁷In just one hour your great wealth has been destroyed!’

“Every sea captain and all who travel by ship will stand far away. So will the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea. ¹⁸They will see the smoke rising as Babylon burns. They will ask, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ ¹⁹They will throw dust on their heads. They will cry and be sad. They will cry out,

“ ‘How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city!

All who had ships on the sea

became rich because of her wealth!

In just one hour she has been destroyed!

²⁰Heaven, be glad for this!

God’s people, be glad! Apostles and prophets, be glad!

God has judged her for the way she treated you.’ ”

²¹Then a mighty angel picked up a huge rock. It was the size of a large millstone. He threw it into the sea. Then he said,

“That is how

the great city of Babylon will be thrown down.

Never again will it be found.

²²The songs of musicians will never be heard in you again.

Gone will be the music of harp, flute and trumpet.

No worker of any kind

will ever be found in you again.

The sound of a millstone

will never be heard in you again.

²³The light of a lamp

will never shine in you again.

The voices of brides and grooms

will never be heard in you again.

Your traders were among…

Read in Logos

This passage has been shortened. Keep reading Revelation 16–18 in Logos