Babylon Is Fallen (Isaiah 21:1–10)
1 CPDV And after these things, I saw another Angel, descending from heaven, having great authority. And the earth was illuminated by his glory. BSB BSB: After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory.
2 CPDV And he cried out with strength, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. And she has become the habitation of demons, and the keepsake of every unclean spirit, and the possession of every unclean and hateful flying thing. BSB BSB: And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.
3 CPDV For all the nations have imbibed the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the kings of the earth have fornicated with her. And the merchants of the earth have become wealthy by the power of her pleasures.” BSB BSB: All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”
4 CPDV And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: “Go away from her, my people, so that you may not be participants in her pleasures, and so that you may not be recipients of her afflictions. BSB BSB: Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.
5 CPDV For her sins have pierced through even to heaven, and the Lord has remembered her iniquities. BSB BSB: For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 CPDV Render to her, as she has also rendered to you. And repay her doubly, according to her works. Mix for her a double portion, in the cup with which she mixed. BSB BSB: Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.
7 CPDV As much as she has glorified herself and lived in pleasure, so much so give to her torment and grief. For in her heart, she has said: ‘I am enthroned as queen,’ and, ‘I am not a widow,’ and, ‘I shall not see sorrow.’ BSB BSB: As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’
8 CPDV For this reason, her afflictions shall arrive in one day: death and grief and famine. And she shall be burned with fire. For God, who will judge her, is strong. BSB BSB: Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
Lament over Babylon 9 CPDV And the kings of the earth, who have fornicated with her and lived in luxury, shall weep and mourn for themselves over her, when they see the smoke of her conflagration, BSB BSB: Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.
10 CPDV standing far away, out of fear of her torments, saying: ‘Woe! Woe! to Babylon, that great city, that strong city. For in one hour, your judgment has arrived.’ BSB BSB: In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
11 CPDV And the businessmen of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, because no one will buy their merchandise anymore: BSB BSB: And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo—
12 CPDV merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls, and of fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and of every citrus tree wood, and of every tool of ivory, and of every tool from precious stone and brass and iron and marble, BSB BSB: cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;
13 CPDV and of cinnamon and black cardamom, and of fragrances and ointments and incense, and of wine and oil and fine flour and wheat, and of beasts of burden and sheep and horses and four-wheeled wagons, and of slaves and the souls of men. BSB BSB: of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves.
14 CPDV And the fruits of the desires of your soul have gone away from you. And all things fat and splendid have perished from you. And they shall never find these things again. BSB BSB: And they will say: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.”
15 CPDV The merchants of these things, who were made wealthy, shall stand far away from her, out of fear of her torments, weeping and mourning, BSB BSB: The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn,
16 CPDV and saying: ‘Woe! Woe! to that great city, which was clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and which was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls.’ BSB BSB: saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17 CPDV For such great wealth was brought to destitution in one hour. And every shipmaster, and all who navigate on lakes, and mariners, and those who work at sea, stood far away. BSB BSB: For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance
18 CPDV And they cried out, seeing the place of her conflagration, saying: ‘What city resembles this great city?’ BSB BSB: and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.
19 CPDV And they cast dust upon their heads. And they cried out, weeping and mourning, saying: ‘Woe! Woe! to that great city, by which all who had ships at sea were made rich from her treasures. For she has been made desolate in one hour. BSB BSB: Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”
20 CPDV Exult over her, O heaven, O holy Apostles and Prophets. For God has judged your judgment upon her.’ ” BSB BSB: Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.
The Doom of Babylon 21 CPDV And a certain strong Angel took up a stone, similar to a great millstone, and he cast it into the sea, saying: “With this force shall Babylon, that great city, be cast down. And she shall never be found again. BSB BSB: Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.
22 CPDV And the sound of singers, and musicians, and flute and trumpet players shall not be heard in you again. And every artisan of every art shall not be found in you again. And the sound of the mill shall not be heard in you again. BSB BSB: And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again.
23 CPDV And the light of the lamp shall not shine in you again. And the voice of the groom and of the bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the leaders of the earth. For all the nations were led astray by your drugs. BSB BSB: The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”
24 CPDV And in her was found the blood of the Prophets and of the Saints, and of all who were slain upon the earth.” BSB BSB: And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.
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