The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
Parallel Translations
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The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
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and the voyce of the brydegrome and of the bryde shalbe herde no more in the: for thy marchauntes were the grett men of the erth. And with thyne inchantment were deceaved all nacions:
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And the light of a candle shall shine no more in thee: and the voyce of the bridegrome and of the bride shalbe heard no more in thee: for thy marchants were the great men of the earth: and with thine inchantments were deceiued all nations.
Cross-references (23)
Passages linked to Revelation 18:23 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Revelation 18:3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury.”
- Isaiah 23:8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
- Nahum 3:4 because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft.
- Jeremiah 7:34 Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a waste.”
- Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- 2 Kings 9:22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” He answered, “What peace, so long as the prostitution of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft abound?”
- Job 21:17 “How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
- Proverbs 4:18-19 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
- Proverbs 24:20 for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
- Jeremiah 16:9 For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.
- Ezekiel 27:33-34 When your wares went out of the seas, you filled many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise. In the time that you were broken by the seas, in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your company fell within you.
- Revelation 13:13-16 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
- Revelation 18:9 The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,
- Revelation 18:11-19 The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more: merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, sheep, horses, chariots, and people’s bodies and souls. The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you. All things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.’ Every ship master, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away, and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like the great city?’ They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour.
- Isaiah 47:9 But these two things will come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in their full measure, in the multitude of your sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments.
- Ezekiel 27:24-25 These were your traders in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and embroidered work, and in chests of rich clothing, bound with cords and made of cedar, among your merchandise. “ ‘ “The ships of Tarshish were your caravans for your merchandise. You were replenished and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.
- Acts 8:11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
- Revelation 12:9 The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
- Revelation 17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. Those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality.”
- Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
- Revelation 18:22 The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman, of whatever craft, will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you.
- Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
- Revelation 22:5 There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 23 And the light of a candle shall shine…
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Ver. 23. And the light of a candle] The candle of the wicked shall be put out, they that here love darkness better than light shall hereafter be thrust into σκοτος εξωτερον, outer darkness, where they shall never see the light again till they see all the world on a light fire.
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For thy merchants were the great men] The pope creates his cardinals by these words, Estote fratres nostri et principes mundi, Be ye brethren to us, and princes of the world. They hold themselves the king’s companions.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And in her was found the blood of prophets…
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,.... Such as before mentioned, in Rev 18:20 this is another reason of her destruction, besides her luxury and idolatry, namely, her shedding the blood of the saints, with which she is said to be drunk, and therefore blood is now given her to drink, Rev 17:6 for she will now be found guilty of slaying the witnesses, who are meant by the prophets and saints, that have been from the beginning of the apostasy:
and of all that were slain upon the earth: not only of those that have been slain in the city of Rome, but of all those that have been slain throughout the empire; they being slain by her order, or with her consent, and she conniving at it, encouraging it, and therefore will be justly chargeable with it all; see Mat 23:31 the Ethiopic version adds, "for the name of Christ".
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Next: Revelation Chapter 19
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain For thy merchants were the great men of the…
For thy merchants were the great men of the earth - A circumstance which was in itself indifferent, and yet led them into pride, luxury, and numberless other sins.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 23. By thy sorceries] Political arts, state tricks,…
Verse 23. By thy sorceries] Political arts, state tricks, counterfeit miracles, and deceptive manoeuvres of every kind. This may be spoken of many great cities of the world, which still continue to flourish!
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain And the light of a candle shall shine no…
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee - Another image of desolation, as if every light were put out, and there were total darkness.
And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee - The merry and cheerful voice of the marriage procession in the streets (notes on Mat 25:1-7), or the cheerful, glad voice of the newly-married couple in their own dwelling (notes on Joh 3:29).
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For thy merchants were the great men of the earth - Those who dealt with thee were the rich, and among them were even nobles and princes; and now that they trade with thee no more there is occasion for lamentation and sorrow. The contrast is great between the time when distinguished foreigners crowded thy marts, and now, when none of any kind come to traffic with thee. The origin of this representation is probably the description of Tyre in Ezek. 27.
For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived - This is stated as a reason for the ruin that had come upon her. It is a common representation of papal Rome that she has deceived or deluded the nations of the earth (see the notes on Rev 13:14), and no representation ever made accords more with facts as they have occurred. The word “sorceries” here refers to the various arts the tricks impostures, and false pretences by which this has been done. See the notes on Rev 9:21.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain What a blessed contrast is Rev 22:5, respecting the…
What a blessed contrast is Rev 22:5, respecting the city of God: "They need no candle (just as Babylon shall no more have the light of a candle, but for a widely different reason), for the Lord God giveth them light."
candle--Translate as Greek, "lamp."
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bridegroom . . . bride . . . no more . . . in thee--Contrast the heavenly city, with its Bridegroom, Bride, and blessed marriage supper (Rev 19:7, Rev 19:9; Rev 21:2, Rev 21:9; Isa 62:4-5).
thy merchants were--So most of the best authorities read. But A omits the Greek article before "merchants," and then translates, "The great men of . . . were thy merchants."
sorceries--Greek, "sorcery."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 23. No lamp shall illuminate the wedding chamber.
23. No lamp shall illuminate the wedding chamber.
For—The double for assigns reason for different things. First for implies how great the desolation; for Babylon’s merchants were once princes; the second for implies the justice of the downfall; for she was the world’s corruptress.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 23. the voice of the bridegroom &c.] Jer_7:34; Jer_16:9.
23. the voice of the bridegroom &c.] Jer_7:34; Jer_16:9.
for thy merchants &c.] Isa_23:8, of Tyre. Some read “for the great men of the earth were thy merchants”, which makes the resemblance less close, but does not forbid our seeing a reference.
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by thy sorceries] Compare especially Nah_3:4.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (23) For thy merchants were the great . .…
(23) For thy merchants were the great . . .—The judgment does not fall because the merchants were great: it is the sorcery of the next clause which is the true cause of her fall: the merchants are those who traded with her, as well as those who dwelt in her: by “her sorceries” we must understand her artful policy, her attractiveness, and the seductions by which she drew into the meshes of her worldliness and sin the nations around. “In thy sorcery were all the nations led astray” (Rev_13:14).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And the light of a candle shall shine no…
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; of a lamp. (cf. Jer_25:10, "I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; were the princes. The cause of this overthrow is thus again stated. It is a repetition of the idea in vers. 7, 15, 19, "I sit a queen;" "The merchants which were made rich by her;" "That great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea". (cf. Isa_23:8, "Whose merchants were princes;" also Eze_27:20-22) For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. The judgment is the result of the non-repentance of Rev_9:21.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 23. For with thy sorcery were all the nations…
23. For with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived. This accounts for the fact that all nations poured their treasures into her lap.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
The angel who threw the millstone finishes talking.
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General Information:
The words "you," "your," and "her" refer to Babylon.
The voices of the bridegroom and the bride will not be heard in you anymore
This can be stated in active form. AT: "No one will ever again hear in Babylon the happy voices of a bridegroom and a bride" (See: Active or Passive)
will not be heard in you anymore
Not being heard here means that they will not be there. AT: "will not be in your city anymore" (See: Metonymy)
your merchants were the princes of the earth
The angel speaks of important and powerful people as if they were princes. AT: "your merchants were like princes of the earth" or "your merchants were the most important men in the world" (See: Metaphor)
the nations were deceived by your sorcery
This can be stated in active form. AT: "you deceived the people of the nations with your magic spells" (See: Active or Passive)
In her the blood of prophets and saints was found, and the blood of all who have been killed on the earth
Blood being found there means that the people there were guilty of killing people. AT: "Babylon is guilty of killing the prophets and believers and all the other people in the world who were killed" (See: Active or Passive and Metonymy)
translationWords
light
lamp
bridegroom
bride
prince
nation
deceive
sorcerer
blood
prophet
saint
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 18:23 Cp. Jer 25:10-11.
18:23 Cp. Jer 25:10-11.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.