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Friday, September 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

Revelation 18:16

They will say, ‘It is bad! It is bad for that powerful city. She dressed in fine linen of purple and red. She covered herself with gold and pearls and stones worth much money.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Colors;   Pearl;   The Topic Concordance - Judges;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Commerce;   Precious Stones;   Riches;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Poetry of the Hebrews;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - City;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Color, Symbolic Meaning of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Stones, Precious;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dress;   Pearl;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Crimson;   Minerals and Metals;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Babylon;   Linen;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Colours;   Debt, Debtor;   Gold ;   Linen ;   Mourning;   Pearl ;   Precious;   Precious Stones ;   Trade and Commerce;   Witness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Babylon the Great ;   Pearl;   Purple;   Scarlet;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Babel;   Babylon;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - City;   Old - golden;   Palm;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Purple;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Babylon in the New Testament:;   Color;   Fine;   Linen;   Purple;   Ships and Boats;   Worm;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
saying,
King James Version (1611)
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linnen, and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold, and pretious stones, and pearles:
King James Version
And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
New American Standard Bible
saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls;
New Century Version
and say: "Terrible! How terrible for the great city! She was dressed in fine linen, purple and red cloth, and she was shining with gold, precious jewels, and pearls!
English Standard Version
"Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;
Berean Standard Bible
saying: "Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
Contemporary English Version
Then they shouted, "Pity the great city of Babylon! She dressed in fine linen and wore purple and scarlet cloth. She had jewelry made of gold and precious stones and pearls.
Complete Jewish Bible
and saying, "Oh no! The great city used to wear fine linen, purple and scarlet! She glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls!
Darby Translation
saying, Woe, woe, the great city, which [was] clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and had ornaments of gold and precious stones and pearls!
Easy-to-Read Version
They will say, ‘Terrible! How terrible for the great city! She was dressed in fine linen; she wore purple and scarlet cloth. She was shining with gold, jewels, and pearls!
Geneva Bible (1587)
And saying, Alas, alas, that great citie, that was clothed in fine linnen and purple, and skarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stones, and pearles.
George Lamsa Translation
Saying, Woe, woe, that great city, which was clothed with fine linen and purple, and scarlet, inlaid with gold, and precious stones and pearls! for in one hour these great riches are destroyed.
Good News Translation
and say, "How terrible! How awful for the great city! She used to dress herself in linen, purple, and scarlet, and cover herself with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls!
Lexham English Bible
saying, "Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen and purple cloth and scarlet cloth, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls,
Literal Translation
and saying, Woe! Woe to the great city having been clothed in linen and purple and scarlet, and having been gilded with gold and precious stone, and pearls!
Amplified Bible
saying, 'Woe, woe, for the great city that was robed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, gilded and adorned with gold, with precious stones, and with pearls;
American Standard Version
saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl!
Bible in Basic English
Saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, she who was clothed in delicate linen, and purple, and red; with ornaments of gold and stones of great price and jewels!
Hebrew Names Version
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!
International Standard Version
saying,Revelation 17:4;">[xr] "How terrible, how terrible it is for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet and was adorned with gold, gems, and pearls!
Etheridge Translation
saying, Woe, woe, that great city, which was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and golded with gold, and (adorned) with precious stones and pearls;
Murdock Translation
saying: Alas, alas! that great city, which was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stones, and pearls; because, in one hour, such riches are laid waste.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And saying: Alas, alas, that great citie, that was clothed in raynes, and purple, and skarlet, and decked with golde and precious stones, and pearles:
English Revised Version
saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl!
World English Bible
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!
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The great city that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stone, and pearl: in one hour so great riches are become desolate.
Weymouth's New Testament
weeping aloud and sorrowing, and saying, `Alas, alas, for this great city, which was brilliantly arrayed in fine linen, and purple and scarlet stuff, and beautified with gold, jewels and pearls;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
wo! thilke greet citee, that was clothid with bijs, and purpur, and reed scarlet, and was ouergild with gold, and preciouse stoon, and margaritis,
Update Bible Version
saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl!
Webster's Bible Translation
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
New English Translation
saying, "Woe, woe, O great city— dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls—
New King James Version
and saying, "Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
New Living Translation
"How terrible, how terrible for that great city! She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens, decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!
New Revised Standard
"Alas, alas, the great city, clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
as they say - Alas! alas! the great city! She that was arrayed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stone, and pearl, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And saying: Alas! alas! that great city, which was clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet and was gilt with gold and precious stones and pearls.
Revised Standard Version
"Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, bedecked with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and saying: alas alas that grett cite that was clothed in raynes and purple and scarlett and decked with golde and precious stone and pearles:
Young's Literal Translation
and saying, Wo, wo, the great city, that was arrayed with fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded in gold, and precious stone, and pearls -- because in one hour so much riches were made waste!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and sayenge: alas alas, that greate cite, that was clothed in sylke, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with golde, and precious stone, and pearles:
Mace New Testament (1729)
crying, alas, alas, that great city, that was cloathed in fine linnen, purple, and scarlet: decked with gold, precious stones and pearls:
Simplified Cowboy Version
and say, 'This is a total waste. How terrible is this day?! She used to be the most beautiful and decorated thing on earth,

Contextual Overview

9 "Then the kings of the earth will cry for her and be sorry when they see the smoke of her burning. They are the ones who did sex sins with her and lived as rich people. 10 They stand a long way from her because they are afraid of her sufferings. They say, ‘It is bad! It is bad for the big and powerful city of Babylon. For in one hour she is destroyed.' 11 The men of the earth who buy and sell are sorry for her and cry. They cry because there is no one to buy their things anymore. 12 They sold gold and silver and stones worth much money and pearls. They sold fine linen and purple and red silk cloth. They sold all kinds of perfumed wood. They sold things made from the teeth of animals and things made from wood that cost much money. They sold brass and iron and stone. 13 They sold spices and perfumes of all kinds. They sold wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat. They sold cows and sheep and horses and wagons. They sold men who are not free and they sold the lives of men. 14 They say to her, ‘All the good things you wanted so much are gone from you. Your riches are gone. The things you liked so much are gone. You will never have them again.' 15 The men of the earth who became rich by buying and selling in that city will stand a long way back because they are afraid of her sufferings. They will cry and have sorrow. 16 They will say, ‘It is bad! It is bad for that powerful city. She dressed in fine linen of purple and red. She covered herself with gold and pearls and stones worth much money. 17 For in one hour her riches are destroyed.' The captain of every ship and all who traveled on ships and all who worked on ships stood a long way back. 18 They cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘Has there ever been such a city as powerful as this one?'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Alas: Revelation 18:10, Revelation 18:11, Revelation 17:4, Luke 16:19-31

Reciprocal: Judges 8:26 - purple 2 Kings 6:5 - master Psalms 60:3 - to drink Isaiah 14:4 - golden city Isaiah 47:5 - for Jeremiah 48:39 - How is it Jeremiah 49:25 - General Jeremiah 50:23 - General Lamentations 1:1 - How doth Ezekiel 6:11 - Alas Ezekiel 24:8 - I have set Ezekiel 26:17 - How art Ezekiel 28:14 - stones Amos 5:16 - Wailing Nahum 3:7 - Nineveh 1 Peter 1:7 - that Revelation 11:18 - shouldest Revelation 16:19 - the great Revelation 17:1 - I will Revelation 17:16 - and naked Revelation 18:19 - weeping Revelation 21:21 - pure

Cross-References

Acts 15:3
The church sent them on their way. They went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria and told how those who were not Jews were turning to God. This made the Christians very happy.
Acts 20:38
What made them sad most of all was he said that they would never see his face again. Then they went with him to the ship.
Acts 21:5
When our time was up, we left there and went on our way. All of them with their wives and children went with us out of town. They got down on their knees on the shore and prayed.
Romans 15:24
I hope I can now. I am making plans to go to the country of Spain. On my way there I will stop and visit you. After I have had the joy of visiting you for awhile, you can help me on my way again.
3 John 1:6
They have told the church about your love. It will be good for you to help them on their way as God would have you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And saying, alas, alas! that great city,..... Using the same words the kings of the earth do, Revelation 18:10 only adding, suitable to their characters as merchants, and the things they traded in with her,

that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls; Revelation 18:10- : Revelation 18:10- :, see also Ezekiel 27:32.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And saying, Alas, alas ... - notes on Revelation 18:10.

That was clothed in fine linen - In the previous description Revelation 18:12-13, these are mentioned as articles of traffic; here the city, under the image of a female, is represented as clothed in the most rich and frivolous of these articles.

And purple, and scarlet - See the notes on Revelation 17:3-4. Compare Revelation 18:12 of this chapter.

And decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls - notes on Revelation 17:4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 18:16. Clothed in fine linen, and purple, c.] The verb περιβαλλεσθαι, which we here translate clothed, signifies often to abound, be enriched, laden with, and is so used by the best Greek writers see many examples in Kypke. These articles are not to be considered here as personal ornaments, but as articles of trade or merchandise, in which this city trafficked.


 
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