1. AND after these things, I saw [another] angel coming down out of heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2. And he cried out in strength with a great voice, saying. Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. 3. Because of the wine of the anger of her whoredom all nations have drunk, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her; and the merchants of the earth have waxed rich, through the power of her delicacies. 4. And I heard another voice out of heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, lest ye become partakers of her sins, and lest ye receive of her plagues. 5. For her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her injustices. 6. Render unto her, even as she hath rendered unto you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup with which she hath mixed, mix unto her double. 7. As much as she hath glorified herself, and lived delicately, so much give unto her torment and mourning, because she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am not a widow, and shall not see mourning. 8. For this, in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be burned in the fire; for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her. 9. And the kings of the earth shall weep for her, and wail over her, who have committed whoredom with her and lived delicately, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. 10. Standing afar off for fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, that great city Babylon, that strong city; for in one hour thy judgment is come. 11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, because no one buyeth their merchandise any more;

12. Merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and crimson, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyme wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;

13. And cinnamon and incense, and ointment and frankincense, and wine and oil, and fine flour and wheat, and beasts of burden and sheep, and horses and carriages, and slaves and souls of men. 14. And the fruits of the desire of thy soul have departed from thee, and all things fat and splendid have departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more. 15. The merchants of these, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning 16. And saying, Woe, woe, that great city, clothed in fine linen, and crimson and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stone, and pearls, for in one hour so great riches are devastated. 17. And every pilot, and all that are employed upon ships, and mariners, and as many as do work on the sea, stood afar off, 18. And cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What is like this great city? 19. And they cast dust upon their heads, and cried out, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costliness; because in one hour they are devastated. 20. Exult over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and ye prophets, because God hath judged your judgment concerning her. 21. And one strong angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast down, that great city, and shall be found no more:

22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard in thee no more, and no craftsman of whatsoever craft shall be found in thee any more, and the voice of the mill shall be heard in thee no more:

23. And the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard in thee no more; because thy merchants were the great ones of the earth, for by thy sorcery have all the nations been seduced. 24. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.

EXPLANATION.

Verse 1. And after these things I saw [another] angel coming down out of heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.

"After these things," signifies after the Last Judgment was accomplished upon those who are meant by the harlot; "I saw [another] angel coming down out of heaven," signifies the Divine proceeding from the Lord in heaven and in the world; "having great power," signifies to whom Omnipotence now belongs, both in the heavens and on earth; "and the earth was lightened with his glory," signifies the Church now in light from the influx and reception of Divine Truth.