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18 After 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.
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.
5 Her sins are piled up to heaven.
God has remembered her crimes.
6 Do 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.
7 Give 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.’
8 But 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.
13 Cinnamon, 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!
17 In 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!
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.
22 The 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.
will never shine in you again.
The voices of brides and grooms
will never be heard in you again.
Your traders were among the world’s most important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led down the wrong path.
24 You were guilty of the murder of prophets and God’s people.
You were guilty of the blood of all who have been killed on the earth.”
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About New International Reader’s Version (1998)The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) was developed to help early readers understand the Bible. Begun in 1992, the NIrV is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV). The NIrV uses shorter words and sentences so that those with a typical fourth grade reading level can comprehend what they are reading. The chapters have been separated into shorter sections and most have titles that clearly indicate what the section is all about. The NIrV will be a valuable translation to those for whom English is a second language. The NIrV still relies on the best and oldest copies of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for its translation, guaranteeing that those who read it are getting the actual Word of God. |
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Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. The NIrV text may be quoted for non-commercial usage in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows: Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. When quotations from the NIrV text are used in non-saleable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, posters, transparencies or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials (NIrV) must appear at the end of each quotation. Any commentary or other Biblical reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New International Reader’s Version must obtain written permission for use of the NIrV text. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.S. and Canada that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.K., EEC, and EFTA countries that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Hodder Headline Plc., 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, England. Permission requests for non-commercial usage that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, International Bible Society, 1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. |
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