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18 Edhe pas këtyre pashë një engjëll tjetër që zbriste nga qielli, që kishte pushtet të madh; dhe dheu u ndriçua nga lavdia e tij.

Ai bërtiti me forcë dhe me zë të madh, duke thënë: “Ra, ra Babilona e madhja, dhe u bë vendbanimi i demonëve, dhe streha e çdo fryme të ndyrë, dhe streha e çdo shpendi të ndyrë dhe neveritshëm.

Sepse nga vera e mërisë së kurvërimit të saj kanë pirë të gjitha kombet, dhe mbretërit e dheut me të u kurvëruan, dhe tregtarët e dheut u pasuruan për shkak të luksit të saj të shfrenuar.”

Pastaj dëgjova një zë tjetër nga qielli, duke thënë: “Dilni prej saj, o populli im, që të mos bëheni pjestarë të mëkateve të saj, dhe të mos merrni nga plagët e saj,

sepse mëkatet e saj janë grumbulluar dhe kanë arritur deri në qiell, dhe Perëndia kujtoi paudhësitë e saj.

Shpërblejani atë që ajo ju ka bërë juve, përkundrazi, shpërblejani dyfish sipas veprave të saj; në kupën që ajo derdhi derdhini dyfishin.

Në masën që u vetlavdërua ajo dhe shfreu në epshe, në atë masë i jepni asaj mundim dhe brenga, sepse ajo në zemër të vet thotë: "Unë rri posi mbretëreshë, e ve nuk jam dhe brengë nuk do të shoh".

Prandaj në një ditë të vetme do të vijnë plagët e saj: vdekja, vaji dhe zia e bukës; edhe do të digjet krejt në zjarr, sepse i fuqishëm është Zoti Perëndia, ai që e gjykon atë.”

Dhe do ta qajnë atë dhe do të vajtojnë për të mbretërit e dheut, ata që u kurvëruan me të dhe u dhanë pas epsheve me të, kur të shohin tymin e zjarrit të saj;

10 ata do të qëndrojnë larg nga frika e mundimit të saj, duke thënë: “Mjerë, mjerë Babilona, qyteti i madh, qyteti i fuqishëm, sepse në një moment erdhi gjyqi yt!.”

11 Edhe tregtarët e dheut do të qajnë dhe do të vajtojnë për të, sepse askush nuk do të blejë më mallrat e tyre:

12 mallra prej ari dhe argjendi, gurë të çmuar dhe margaritarë, pëlhura liri dhe purpri, mendafshi e të kuqeje, dhe gjithfarë drurësh erëmirë, e gjithfarë sendesh fildishi dhe druri shumë të çmuar, bronzi, hekuri dhe mermeri,

13 dhe kanellë, dhe parfume, vajra erëmirë, temian, verë, vaj, majë mielli, grurë, gjë e gjallë, dhen, kuaj, qerre, trupa e shpirtra njerëzish.

14 Dhe fryti i dëshirës së shpirtit tënd ikën prej teje, dhe të gjitha gjërat e pasura dhe të shkëlqyerat ikën prej teje dhe ti nuk do t’i gjesh më kurrë.

15 Tregtarët e këtyre gjërave, që u pasuruan prej saj, do të rrijnë larg për shkak të frikës së mundimit të saj, dhe do të qajnë dhe do të vajtojnë,

16 duke thënë: “Ah! Ah! Qyteti i madh, që ishte veshur me li të hollë, me të purpurta e të kuqe të ndezur, dhe e stolisur me ar, dhe me gurë të çmuar dhe me margaritarë! Sepse në një moment u shkatërrua një pasuri kaq e madhe!.”

17 Të gjithë kapitenët, të gjithë pasagjerët dhe detarët, dhe të gjithë ata që tregtojnë nëpërmjet detit do të qëndrojnë nga larg

18 dhe, duke parë tymin e zjarrit të saj, do të klithin: “Cili qytet i përngjante këtij qyteti të madh?.”

19 Dhe do të hedhin pluhur mbi kryet, do të bërtasin, duke qarë e duke vajtuar, duke thënë: “Ah! Ah! Qyteti i madh, në të cilën u pasuruan të gjithë ata që kishin anije në det nga mrekullia e saj, sepse për një moment u shkretua!

20 Gëzohu përmbi të, o qiell, dhe ju apostuj të shenjtë dhe profetë, sepse Perëndia duke e gjykuar vuri në vend drejtësinë.”

21 Dhe një engjëll i fuqishëm ngriti një gur të madh me përmasat sa një mokër dhe e hodhi në det, duke thënë: “Me të njëjtin vrull do të hidhet Babilona, qyteti i madh, dhe nuk do të gjendet më;

22 dhe zëri i harpistëve, i muzikantëve, i fyelltarëve dhe borizanëve nuk do të dëgjohet më te ti; dhe çdo mjeshtër i çfarëdo eksperti i arteve nuk do të gjendet më te ti, dhe nuk do të dëgjohet më te ti zëri i gurit të mullirit.

23 Dhe dritë llambe nuk do të ndriçojë më në ty; edhe zë dhëndri dhe nuseje nuk do të dëgjohet më te ti; sepse tregtarët e tu ishin të mëdhenjtë e dheut, sepse gjithë kombet u mashtruan me magjinë tënde.

24 Sepse në të u gjet gjak profetësh dhe shenjtorësh, dhe i gjithë atyre që janë vrarë mbi dhe.”

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel(A) coming down from heaven.(B) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.(C) With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a](D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.(F)
For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich(I) from her excessive luxuries.”(J)

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b](K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;(L)
for her sins are piled up to heaven,(M)
    and God has remembered(N) her crimes.
Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back(O) double(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.(Q)
Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
    I will never mourn.’(S)
Therefore in one day(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her(V) and shared her luxury(W) see the smoke of her burning,(X) they will weep and mourn over her.(Y) 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off(Z) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AA)
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour(AB) your doom has come!’

11 “The merchants(AC) of the earth will weep and mourn(AD) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore(AE) 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;(AF) 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.(AG)

14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her(AH) will stand far off,(AI) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn(AJ) 16 and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AK)
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!(AL)
17 In one hour(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’(AN)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,(AO) will stand far off.(AP) 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,(AQ) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city(AR)?’(AS) 19 They will throw dust on their heads,(AT) and with weeping and mourning(AU) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AV)
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’(AW)

20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”(AY)

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

21 Then a mighty angel(AZ) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,(BA) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.(BD)
23 The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.(BF)
    By your magic spell(BG) all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
  2. Revelation 18:4 Jer. 51:45
  3. Revelation 18:7 See Isaiah 47:7,8.

18 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.