Revelation 18:8
What does Revelation 18:8 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 18:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 18:8 means
Therefore, in a single day, Babylon’s plagues arrive: death, mourning, and famine. She is utterly burned with fire. The speed and severity stress that human defenses cannot withstand divine judgment. Behind the fall stands not chance, but the might of “the Lord God who judged her.” The sentence is sure because the Judge is strong. Fire suggests both purification and total destruction—nothing left to rebuild the pride that once boasted. The threefold calamity mirrors the totality of her security stripped away: life, comfort, and provision. What seemed durable collapses at God’s word, reminding believers that final outcomes depend on His strength, not human schemes.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Therefore 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Therefore 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For this reason in one day will her troubles come, death and sorrow and need of food; and she will be completely burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who is her judge.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862because of this, in one day, shall come her plagues, death, and sorrow, and famine; and in fire she shall be utterly burned, because strong <FI>is<Fi> the Lord God who is judging her;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Therefore, shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine. And she shall be burnt with the fire: because God is strong, who shall judge her.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890for this reason in one day shall her plagues come, death and grief and famine, and she shall be burnt with fire; for strong [is the] LordGod who has judged her.
Context
Verses 6–7 established the principle and nature of Babylon’s recompense; verse 8 states its swiftness and cause. This pivot moves the narrative from decree to result. Immediately after, the camera shifts to the earth’s response—kings, merchants, and mariners mourning from a distance. The contrast between God’s strong judgment and the world’s powerless grief drives the next section. Seeing that the Lord God is the active agent helps readers interpret the coming laments as self-interested sorrow, not as a critique of heaven’s justice.
v.7How 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.
v.8This passage
v.9And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning,
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 27:1
In that day Jehovah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea.
- Jeremiah 50:31
Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
- Isaiah 47:9
but these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood; in their full measure shall they come upon thee, in the multitude of thy sorceries, and the great abundance of thine enchantments.
- Jeremiah 51:58
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary.
- Jeremiah 50:34
Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of hosts is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
- Jeremiah 51:6
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; be not cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of Jehovah’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.
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