Read The Jewish Annotated New Testament Online
Authors: Amy-Jill Levine
11
And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore,
12
cargo 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,
13
cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves—and human lives.
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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!”
15
The 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!
17
For 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
18
and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19
And 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.”
20
Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints and apostles and prophets! For God has given judgment for you against her.
21
Then 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;
22
and 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;
23
and 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.
24
And in you
*
was found the blood of
prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slaughtered
on earth.”
19
After 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,
2
for 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.”
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3
Once more they said,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and
ever.”
4
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,
“Amen. Hallelujah!”
5
And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
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and all who fear him,
small and great.”
6
Then 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.
7
Let us rejoice
and exult and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready;
8
to 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.
9
And the angel said
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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.”
10
Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant
*
with you and your comrades
*
who hold the testimony of Jesus.
*
Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus
*
is the spirit of prophecy.”
11
Then 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.
12
His 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.
13
He is clothed in a robe dipped in
*
blood, and his name is called The Word of God.
14
And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
15
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule
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them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
16
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
17
Then 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,
18
to 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.”
19
Then 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.
20
And 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.
21
And 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.
20
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.
2
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
3
and 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.
4
Then 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 Jesus
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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.
6
Blessed 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.
7
When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison
8
and 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.
9
They marched up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from heaven
*
and consumed them.
10
And 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.
11
Then 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.
12
And 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.
13
And 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.
14
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire;
15
and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
21
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
2
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home
*
of God is among mortals.
He will dwell
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with them;
they will be his peoples,
*
and God himself will be with them;
*