Revelation 18:21

“And one mighty angel picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence Babylon the great city will be thrown down, and will never be found again.”
Revelation 18:21 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

AndΚαὶoneεἷςmightyἰσχυρὸςangelἄγγελοςpicked upἦρενa stoneλίθονlikeὡςa greatμέγανmillstoneμύλινονandκαὶthrew itἔβαλενintoεἰςthe sea,τὴν θάλασσανsaying,λέγων“ThusΟὕτωςwith violenceὁρμήματιBabylonΒαβυλὼνthe greatἡ μεγάληcityπόλιςwill be thrown down,βληθήσεταιandκαὶwill neverοὐ μὴbe foundεὑρεθῇagain.ἔτι

Allusion · Jeremiah 51:63-64

Go to Jeremiah 51:63-64

Both texts describe a stone thrown (into the sea or into the Euphrates) and say: “so Babylon will sink.”

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ἦρενērenG142תָקוּםtakumH6965“lift, take, take away”
λίθονlithonG3037אֶבֶןevenH68“stone”
ἔβαλενebalenG906הִשְׁלַכְתּhishlajtH7993“throw, cast, put”
λέγωνlegōnG3004אָמַרְתָּamartaH559“say”
ΟὕτωςHoutōsG3779כָּכָהkajaH3602“so, thus”
ΒαβυλὼνBabylōnG897בָּבֶלbavelH894“Babylon”

Revelation 18:21, word by word

oneεἷςheis

one

The quantity one, or a single one within a group.

Where else “heis” appears

mightyἰσχυρὸςischyros

strong

Strong, mighty.

Where else “ischyros” appears

angelἄγγελοςangelos

angel

A messenger from heaven who serves God.

Where else “angelos” appears

picked upἦρενēren

pick up

To lift something from the ground or take it in one's hands.

Where else “ēren” appears

a stoneλίθονlithon

stone

A piece of hard rock, loose or cut.

Where else “lithon” appears

a greatμέγανmegan

large

Of great size, taking up much space.

Where else “megan” appears

threw itἔβαλενebalen

throw

To hurl something or someone away from oneself.

Where else “ebalen” appears

the seaθάλασσανthalassan

sea

Sea; also a large lake, such as the Sea of Galilee.

Where else “thalassan” appears

sayingλέγωνlegōn

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “legōn” appears

with violenceὁρμήματιhormēmati

violence, rush

Rush, violent onset, sudden force.

Where else “hormēmati” appears

BabylonΒαβυλὼνBabylōn

Babylon

See it on the map Where else “Babylōn” appears

cityπόλιςpolis

city, town

City, town.

Where else “polis” appears

be foundεὑρεθῇheurethēi

turn out

To turn out to be; "was not found" means vanished.

Where else “heurethēi” appears

Translation note

It recalls Jeremiah 51:63-64.

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

Babylon
Today: Babylon ruins, near Hillah, Iraq
A great city on the Euphrates River, in present-day Iraq, about 53 miles (85 km) south of Baghdad.
In its land the languages were confused at Babel (Gen 11:9). Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took the people captive there (2 Kgs 25:1-11). Daniel lived there (Dan 1:1-6).
Genesis 11:9 2 Kings 25:1 Psalms 137:1 Daniel 1:1

The context

20Rejoice over her, heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has judged your case against her.

21 · This verse (above)

22And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute players and trumpeters will never be heard in you again, and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you again, and the sound of a mill will never be heard in you again,

Read all of Revelation 18

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