¶ And after that I saw another angel come from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his brightness. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying: Great Babylon is fallen is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of all unclean and hateful birds, for all nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and her merchants are waxed rich of the abundance of her pleasures.
¶ And I heard another voice from heaven say: come away from her my people, that ye be not part takers in her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins are gone up to heaven, and God hath remembered her wickedness. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and give her double according to her works. And pour in double to her in the same cup which she filled unto you. And as much as she glorified herself and lived wantonly, so much pour ye in for her of punishment, and sorrow, for she said in her heart: I sit being a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day, death, and sorrow, and hunger, and she shall be brent with fire: for strong is the Lord God which judgeth her.
¶ And the kings of the earth shall beweep her and wail over her, which have committed fornication with her, and have lived wantonly with her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, and shall stand afar off, for fear of her punishment, saying: Alas, Alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city: For at one hour is her judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and wail in themselves, for no man will buy their ware any more, the ware of gold and silver, and precious stones, neither of pearl, and raynes, and purple, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and of iron, and cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.
¶ And the apples that thy soul lusted after, are departed from thee. And all things which were dainty, and had in price are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more. The merchants of these things which were waxed rich shall stand afar off from her, for fear of the punishment of her, weeping and wailing, and saying: alas alas, that great city, that was clothed in raynes, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stone, and pearls: for at one hour so great riches is come to nought.
¶ And every ship governor, and all they that occupied ships, and shipmen which work in the sea, stood afar off, and cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying: what city is like unto this great city? And they cast dust on their heads, and cried weeping, and wailing, and said: Alas alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by the reason of her ware, for at one hour is she made desolate.
¶ Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye holy Apostles, and prophets: for God hath given your judgement on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying: with such violence shall that great city Babylon be cast, and shall be found no more. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more in thee: and no crafts man, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee, and the sound of a mill shall be heard no more in thee, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride, shall be heard no more in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth. And with thine enchantment were deceived all nations: and in her was found the blood of the prophets, and of the saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526