Revelation 3:17

3:17 Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,

Revelation 8:8

8:8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain of burning fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood,

Revelation 9:14

9:14 saying to the sixth angel, the one holding the trumpet, “Set free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”

Revelation 11:8

11:8 Their corpses will lie in the street of the great city that is symbolically 10  called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified.

Revelation 13:16

13:16 He also caused 11  everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave 12 ) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead.

Revelation 14:8

14:8 A 13  second 14  angel 15  followed the first, 16  declaring: 17  “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! 18  She made all the nations 19  drink of the wine of her immoral passion.” 20 

Revelation 16:12

16:12 Then 21  the sixth angel 22  poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water 23  to prepare the way 24  for the kings from the east. 25 

Revelation 17:5

17:5 On 26  her forehead was written a name, a mystery: 27  “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”

Revelation 18:1

Babylon is Destroyed

18:1 After these things I saw another angel, who possessed great authority, coming down out of heaven, and the earth was lit up by his radiance. 28 

Revelation 18:16

18:16 saying,

“Woe, woe, O great city –

dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing, 29 

and adorned with gold, 30  precious stones, and pearls –

Revelation 18:18

18:18 and began to shout 31  when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, 32  “Who is like the great city?”

Revelation 19:5

19:5 Then 33  a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God

all you his servants,

and all you who fear Him,

both the small and the great!”


tn Grk “and have become rich.” The semantic domains of the two terms for wealth here, πλούσιος (plousios, adjective) and πλουτέω (ploutew, verb) overlap considerably, but are given slightly different English translations for stylistic reasons.

tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

tn All the terms in this series are preceded by καί (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.

tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

tn Grk “having.”

tn On λῦσον (luson) BDAG 606-7 s.v. λύω 2 states, “set free, loose, untie – a. lit. a pers., animal, or thing that is bound or tied…Angels that are bound Rv 9:14f.”

tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).

10 tn Grk “spiritually.”

11 tn Or “forced”; Grk “makes” (ποιεῖ, poiei).

12 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

13 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

14 tc There are several different variants comprising a textual problem involving “second” (δεύτερος, deuteros). First, several mss (A 1 2329 ÏK) read “another, a second angel” (ἄλλος δεύτερος ἄγγελος, allo" deutero" angelo"). Second, other mss (Ì47 א* 1006 1841 1854 pc) read just “another, a second” (ἄλλος δεύτερος). Third, the reading “another angel” (ἄλλος ἄγγελος) is supported by a few Greek mss and some versional evidence (69 pc ar vg). Fourth, several mss (א2 [C reads δεύτερον instead of δεύτερος] 051 1611 2053 2344 ÏA) support the reading “another, a second angel” (ἄλλος ἄγγελος δεύτερος). The reading that most likely gave rise to the others is the fourth. The first reading attempts to smooth out the grammar by placing the adjective in front of the noun. The second reading may have dropped out the “angel” on the basis of its similarity to “another” (ἄλλος). The third reading either intentionally or accidentally left out the word “second.” In any event, this is weakly attested and should not be given much consideration. (If, however, this reading had had good support, with “second” floating, and with “third” in the text in 14:9, one could possibly see δεύτερος as a motivated reading. But without sufficient support for the third reading, the one thing that is most certain is that δεύτερος was part of the original text here.) It is difficult to account for the rise of the other readings if “second” is not original. And the undisputed use of “third” (τρίτος, tritos) in 14:9 may be another indicator that the adjective “second” was in the original text. Finally, the fourth reading is the more difficult and therefore, in this case, to be accepted as the progenitor of the others.

15 tn Grk “And another angel, a second.”

16 tn The words “the first” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

17 tn For the translation of λέγω (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.

18 sn The fall of Babylon the great city is described in detail in Rev 18:2-24.

19 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

20 tn Grk “of the wine of the passion of the sexual immorality of her.” Here τῆς πορνείας (th" porneia") has been translated as an attributive genitive. In an ironic twist of fate, God will make Babylon drink her own mixture, but it will become the wine of his wrath in retribution for her immoral deeds (see the note on the word “wrath” in 16:19).

21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

22 tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

23 tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

24 tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

25 tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίουfrom the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”

26 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

27 tn Some translations consider the word μυστήριον (musthrion, “mystery”) a part of the name written (“Mystery Babylon the Great,” so KJV, NIV), but the gender of both ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) and μυστήριον are neuter, while the gender of “Babylon” is feminine. This strongly suggests that μυστήριον should be understood as an appositive to ὄνομα (“a name, i.e., a mystery”).

28 tn Grk “glory”; but often in the sense of splendor, brightness, or radiance (see L&N 14.49).

29 tn The word “clothing” is supplied to clarify that the words “purple” and “scarlet” refer to cloth or garments rather than colors.

30 tn Grk “gilded with gold” (an instance of semantic reinforcement, see L&N 49.29).

31 tn Here the imperfect ἔκραζον (ekrazon) has been translated ingressively.

32 tn Grk “from the burning of her, saying.” For the translation “the smoke from the fire that burned her up,” see L&N 14.63. Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes, “saying”) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.

33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.