Revelation 18:7
What does Revelation 18:7 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 18:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 18:7 means
Babylon glorified herself and lived in luxury; therefore she will receive equal portions of torment and mourning. Her boast—“I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning”—reveals arrogant security. She imagined herself above loss and beyond judgment. God answers that pride with fitting humiliation. The same measure she used for self-exaltation becomes the measure of her grief. The verse unmasks the heart of the system: self-worship dressed in finery, presuming immunity. Divine judgment does not merely dismantle structures; it exposes the lie of invincibility. What was said in the heart becomes the evidence that condemns, and the scale of sorrow meets the scale of pride.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.
KJV
King James Version · 1611How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949As she gave glory to herself, and became more evil in her ways, in the same measure give her pain and weeping: for she says in her heart, I am seated here a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see sorrow.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`As much as she did glorify herself and did revel, so much torment and sorrow give to her, because in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and a widow I am not, and sorrow I shall not see;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752As much as she hath glorified herself and lived in delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give ye to her. Because she saith in her heart: I sit a queen and am no widow: and sorrow I shall not see.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890So much as she has glorified herself and lived luxuriously, so much torment and grief give to her. Because she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and I am not a widow; and I shall in no wise see grief:
Context
The repayment principle of verse 6 is now applied to Babylon’s attitude. Pride is central to her sin; her boasts echo the self-assured claims of oppressive powers in Scripture. This prepares for the abruptness of what follows in verse 8: sudden and comprehensive plagues. The emphasis on inner presumption explains why judgment is not only economic but deeply personal—torment and mourning answer self-glorification. As the chapter moves on, the world’s lament will ironically repeat Babylon’s greatness, not to praise her, but to highlight the shock of her reversal.
v.6Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double.
v.7This passage
v.8Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judged her.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4
he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
- Zephaniah 2:15
This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
- Lamentations 1:1
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! She is become as a widow, that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces is become tributary!
- Isaiah 47:7
And thou saidst, I shall be mistress for ever; so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end thereof.
- Isaiah 47:1
Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
- Ezekiel 28:2
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art man, and not God, though thou didst set thy heart as the heart of God;—
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