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a Or in the Spirit
17.1–18 A vision of Rome as the great whore.
17.1 The great whore. The metaphor of the prostitute is often used in the OT for godless cities (see Isa 1.21; 23.16–17; Nah 3.4). Seated on many waters aptly describes the location of historical Babylon (Jer 51.13), just as historical Rome was located on the Tiber.
17.3 He carried me away in the spirit, a vision trance in which the seer is transported to a remote place in the world; see note on 1.10. Scarlet beast, the Roman Empire. Full of blasphemous names with seven heads and ten horns, identical to the beast from the sea (13.1).
17.4 Clothed in…pearls, i.e., dressed like a wealthy courtesan (see 18.16).
17.5 On her forehead was written a name suggests the lowest form of prostitute, a tattooed slave.
17.6 The saints, the many Christian martyrs.
17.8 Ascend from the bottomless pit. See 11.7. It was and is not and is to come, a parody of the divine title “who is and who was and who is to come” (see note on 1.4). Is not, here “has died.”
17.9 Seven mountains. That Rome was located on seven hills was first popularized by Varro (116–27 BCE). Seven kings, either seven actual emperors (either Julius Caesar or Augustus could be counted as the first) or a symbol for a complete series.
17.11 An eighth, the returned Nero (see note on 13.3).
17.12 Ten kings, subordinate kings on the eastern borders of the empire. One hour, an extremely limited period (18.10, 17, 19).
17.14 War on the Lamb, the final end-time battle; see 16.12–16; 19.17–21. Lord of lords and King of kings, a title of Persian origin (Ezra 7.12) usually reserved for God (see Dan 4.37; 1 Tim 6.15; 1 Enoch 9.4).
17.15 Waters (see 17.1), often a symbol for threatening armies (see Isa 8.6–8; Jer 47.2).
17.16 They will make her desolate and naked. The returned Nero, with Parthian allies, will destroy Rome (see 16.19). Devour her flesh, an allusion to the fate of Jezebel (1 Kings 21.23–24).
Revelation 18
The Fall of Babylon
1After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. 2He called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
It has become a dwelling place of demons,
a haunt of every foul spirit,
a haunt of every foul bird,
a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.a
3For all the nations have drunkb
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 have grown rich from the powerc of her luxury.”
4Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,
so that you do not take part in her sins,
and so that you do not share in her plagues;
5for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
6Render to her as she herself has rendered,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed.
7As she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,
so give her a like measure of torment and grief.
Since in her heart she says,
‘I rule as a queen;
I am no widow,
and I will never see grief,’
8therefore her plagues will come in a single day—
pestilence and mourning and famine—
and she will be burned with fire;
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
9And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; 10they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas, alas, the great city,
Babylon, the mighty city!
For in one hour your judgment has come.”
11And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble, 13cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves—and human lives.d
14“The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your dainties and your splendor
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16“Alas, alas, the great city,
clothed in fine linen,
in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17For in one hour all this wealth has been laid waste!”
And all shipmasters and seafarers, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, the great city,
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in one hour she has been laid waste.”
20Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints and apostles and prophets! For God has given judgment for you against her.
21Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
“With such violence Babylon the great city
will be thrown down,
and will be found no more;
22and the sound of harpists and minstrels and of flutists and trumpeters
will be heard in you no more;
and an artisan of any trade
will be found in you no more;
and the sound of the millstone
will be heard in you no more;
23and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more;
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more;
for your merchants were the magnates of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24And in youe was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slaughtered on earth.”
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a Other ancient authorities lack the words a haunt of every foul beast and attach the words and hateful to the previous line so as to read a haunt of every foul and hateful bird
b Other ancient authorities read She has made all nations drink
c Or resources
d Or chariots, and human bodies and souls
e Gk her
18.1–19.10 Reactions to the fall of Babylon.
18.2 Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, a phrase from Isa 21.9 used here to introduce a prophetic taunt anticipating Rome’s fall (see also Isa 23–24; Jer 50–51; Ezek 26–27). A haunt…beast, i.e., a devastated ruin (see Jer 51.37).
18.3 Fornication, metaphor for political and religious subservience to Rome. Merchants…have grown rich. Wealthy Romans bought expensive products from everywhere (see vv. 11–13). Though Rome is implicitly condemned for economic exploitation, the criticism is softer than one might expect.
18.4 Come out of her, a prophetic summons to flight (see Isa 48.20–22; Jer 50.8–10; 51.6–10), probably carrying with it the connotation of not participating in the corrupt practices characteristic of pagan society.
18.5 Sins…high as heaven. See Jer 51.9. God has remembered. See note on 16.19.
18.6 Render…for her deeds alludes to
Jer 50.29; 16.18.
18.7 I rule as a queen. The fatal pride of Rome is personalized in this brief hubristic soliloquy.
18.9–20 Three dirges adapted from Ezek 27: of kings (vv. 9–10), merchants (vv. 11–17a), and mariners (vv. 17b–20), an effective poetic way of underscoring the judgment of Babylon/Rome.
18.11 The merchants…weep…for her, ostensibly for her, but actually for themselves; Rome was the hub of a complex economic system that imported products from China, India, Africa, and northern Europe.
18.12–13 The list of twenty-nine trade goods alludes to Ezek 16.9–13; 27.5–24.
18.16 Purple and scarlet, colors symbolic of royalty and evil. See note on 17.4.
18.18 What city was like the great city? The question is based on Ezek 27.32.
18.19 Threw dust on their heads, an act of mourning or sorrow (see Josh 7.6; Job 2.12; Lam 2.10).
18.20 God has given…against her. The martyrs’ prayer of 6.10 is finally answered.
18.21 The millstone thrown into the sea symbolizes Rome’s downfall (a symbolic prophetic action adapted from Jer 51.63–64).
Revelation 19
The Rejoicing in Heaven
1After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power to our God,
2for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”a
3Once more they said,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”
4And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,
“Amen. Hallelujah!”
5And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,b
and all who fear him,
small and great.”
6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready;
8to her it has been granted to be clothed
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9And the angel saidc to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servantd with you and your comradese who hold the testimony of Jesus.f Worship God! For the testimony of Jesusg is the spirit of prophecy.”
The Rider on the White Horse
11Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. 13He is clothed in a robe dipped inh blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rulei them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
The Beast and Its Armies Defeated
17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders—flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and against his army. 20And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
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a Gk slaves
b Gk slaves
c Gk he said
d Gk slave
e Gk brothers
f Or to Jesus
g Or to Jesus
h Other ancient authorities read sprinkled with
i Or will shepherd
19.1–10 A heavenly throne-room scene (see note on 4.1–11) reflects on Rome’s fall (vv. 1–5) and anticipates the marriage of the Lamb (vv. 6–10).
19.1–6 Hallelujah, a Hebrew term meaning “praise Yah(weh)” (Ps 135.3), occurs in the NT only in these verses, though it has become a familiar term in Jewish and Christian liturgy.
19.6 A great multitude. See note on 7.9.
19.7 Marriage of the Lamb, metaphor for the union of Christ as bridegroom and the church as bride (see 21.2, 9; 22.17; 2 Cor 11.2; Eph 5.25–33); for Israel as the bride of God, see Isa 54.5; Hos 2.19–20.
19.9 Blessed. See note on 1.3.
19.10 The spirit of prophecy. The prophetic spirit is identified with the testimony about Jesus, which is the essence of prophecy.
19.11–21.8 The judgment of God’s adversaries.
19.11–20.3 Christ rides forth as a Divine Warrior (in continuity with the widespread image of God in the OT as the Divine Warrior), leading the heavenly armies against God’s adversaries (cf. 1.12–16).
19.11 Then I saw heaven opened, stereotypical introduction to revelatory visions (see Ezek 1.1; Mt 3.16; Jn 1.51; Acts 7.56; 10.11). The white horse symbolizes victory. Rider, the Messiah.
19.13 Robe dipped in blood, the garment of a warrior stained with the blood of his enemies (see Isa 63.1–6) and perhaps also an oblique reference to his atoning death (see 1.5; 7.14). The Word of God, a rare designation for Jesus (see Jn 1.1; 1 Jn 1.1; cf. Wis 18.15–16).
19.14 The armies of heaven, angelic hosts; a common Hebrew name for God is “Lord of hosts,” referring to angelic armies under his command.
19.15 A sharp sword. See note on 1.16. He will rule…iron. See note on 12.5. Wine press. See note on 14.19.
19.16 King…lords. See note on 17.14.
19.17 Come, gather for the great supper of God, an invitation to birds (parodying ancient cultic dinner invitations) not to attend the messianic banquet (Isa 25.6–8; 55.1–2; Mt 8.11; Lk 13.29; 1 Enoch 62.14), but, in a reversal of that image, to eat the remains of the slaughtered enemies of God.
19.19 Beast, kings of the earth. See 16.12–14.
19.20 Lake of fire (20.10, 14–15; 21.8), a place of eternal punishment, located not in the underworld but in the presence of the Lamb (14.10), and elsewhere called Gehenna (see text note a to Mt 18.9).
Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while.
4Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesusa and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and
had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years.
Satan’s Doom
7When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle; they are as numerous as the sands of the sea. 9They marched up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from heavenb and consumed them. 10And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Dead Are Judged
11Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. 13And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; 15and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
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