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Most Bible scholars recognize theses verses are talking about the composite world empire of false religion. Remember that the Bible is not just about you, or your day in time. It is a window onto the 6000 years from the creation of Adam until our day. The world church of the Dark Ages controlled and ruled the earth for 1000 years from about 300 or 400 AD to about 1300 or 1400 AD. She still has great influence. As the different sects of the church are exposed for their pedophile priests, and their mixing in politics to cause wars, they (the great city) have fallen in the mind of those who blindly supported her. In the Dark Ages the church ruled with an iron fist. She put tortured to death all who spoke out against her. All that power has been stripped from her as she remains a laughing stock to all who have listened to Christ and can see her for what she really is. At Armageddon, those who still support her (false religion) will be destroyed.

Revelation 18:1-24 GNB After this I saw another angel coming down out of heaven. He had great authority, and his splendor brightened the whole earth. (2) He cried out in a loud voice: "She has fallen! Great Babylon has fallen! She is now haunted by demons and unclean spirits; all kinds of filthy and hateful birds live in her. (3) For all the nations have drunk her wine---the strong wine of her immoral lust. The kings of the earth practiced sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the world grew rich from her unrestrained lust." (4) Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out, my people! Come out from her! You must not take part in her sins; you must not share in her punishment! (5) For her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God remembers her wicked ways. (6) Treat her exactly as she has treated you; pay her back double for all she has done. Fill her cup with a drink twice as strong as the drink she prepared for you. (7) Give her as much suffering and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. For she keeps telling herself: 'Here I sit, a queen! I am no widow, I will never know grief !' (8) Because of this, in one day she will be struck with plagues--- disease, grief, and famine. And she will be burned with fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is mighty." (9) The kings of the earth who took part in her immorality and lust will cry and weep over the city when they see the smoke from the flames that consume her. (10) They stand a long way off, because they are afraid of sharing in her suffering. They say, "How terrible! How awful! This great and mighty city Babylon! In just one hour you have been punished!" (11) The merchants of the earth also cry and mourn for her, because no one buys their goods any longer; (12) no one buys their gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; their goods of linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; all kinds of rare woods and all kinds of objects made of ivory and of expensive wood, of bronze, iron, and marble; (13) and cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and carriages, slaves, and even human lives. (14) The merchants say to her, "All the good things you longed to own have disappeared, and all your wealth and glamor are gone, and you will never find them again!" (15) The merchants, who became rich from doing business in that city, will stand a long way off, because they are afraid of sharing in her suffering. They will cry and mourn, (16) 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! (17) And in one hour she has lost all this wealth!" All the ships' captains and passengers, the sailors and all others who earn their living on the sea, stood a long way off, (18) and cried out as they saw the smoke from the flames that consumed her: "There never has been another city like this great city!" (19) They threw dust on their heads, they cried and mourned, saying, "How terrible! How awful for the great city! She is the city where all who have ships sailing the seas became rich on her wealth! And in one hour she has lost everything!" (20) Be glad, heaven, because of her destruction! Be glad, God's people and the apostles and prophets! For God has condemned her for what she did to you! (21) Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "This is how the great city Babylon will be violently thrown down and will never be seen again. (22) The music of harps and of human voices, of players of the flute and the trumpet, will never be heard in you again! No workman in any trade will ever be found in you again; and the sound of the millstone will be heard no more! (23) Never again will the light of a lamp be seen in you; no more will the voices of brides and grooms be heard in you. Your merchants were the most powerful in all the world, and with your false magic you deceived all the peoples of the world!" (24) Babylon was punished because the blood of prophets and of God's people was found in the city; yes, the blood of all those who have been killed on earth.

Revelation 18:1-24 BBE After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was bright with his glory. (2) And he gave a loud cry, saying, Babylon the great has come down from her high place, she has come to destruction and has become a place of evil spirits, and of every unclean spirit, and a hole for every unclean and hated bird. (3) For through the wine of the wrath of her evil desires all the nations have come to destruction; and the kings of the earth made themselves unclean with her, and the traders of the earth had their wealth increased by the power of her evil ways. (4) And another voice from heaven came to my ears, saying, Come out of her, my people, so that you may have no part in her sins and in her punishments. (5) For her sins have gone up even to heaven, and God has taken note of her evil-doing. (6) Give to her as she gave, even an increased reward for her works; in the cup which was mixed by her, let there be mixed as much again for herself. (7) As 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. (8) For 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. (9) And the kings of the earth, who made themselves unclean with her, and in her company gave themselves up to evil, will be weeping and crying over her, when they see the smoke of her burning, (10) Watching from far away, for fear of her punishment, saying, Sorrow, sorrow for Babylon, the great town, the strong town! for in one hour you have been judged. (11) And the traders of the earth are weeping and crying over her, because no man has any more desire for their goods, (12) Gold, and silver, and stones of great price, and jewels, and delicate linen, and robes of purple and silk and red; and perfumed wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of fair wood, and of brass, and iron, and stone; (13) And sweet-smelling plants, and perfumes, and wine, and oil, and well crushed grain, and cattle and sheep; and horses and carriages and servants; and souls of men. (14) And the fruit of your soul's desire has gone from you, and all things delicate and shining have come to an end and will never again be seen. (15) The traders in these things, by which their wealth was increased, will be watching far off for fear of her punishment, weeping and crying; (16) 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! (17) For in one hour such great wealth has come to nothing. And every shipmaster, and all who are sailing on the sea, and sailors and all who get their living by the sea, were watching from far away, (18) And crying out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What town is like the great town? (19) And they put dust on their heads, and were sad, weeping and crying, and saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, in which was increased the wealth of all who had their ships on the sea because of her great stores! for in one hour she is made waste. (20) Be glad over her, heaven, and you saints, and Apostles, and prophets; because she has been judged by God on your account. (21) And a strong angel took up a stone like the great stone with which grain is crushed, and sent it into the sea, saying, So, with a great fall, will Babylon, the great town, come to destruction, and will not be seen any more at all. (22) And the voice of players and makers of music will never again be sounding in you: and no worker, expert in art, will ever again be living in you; and there will be no sound of the crushing of grain any more at all in you; (23) And never again will the shining of lights be seen in you; and the voice of the newly-married man and the bride will never again be sounding in you: for your traders were the lords of the earth, and by your evil powers were all the nations turned out of the right way. (24) And in her was seen the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been put to death on the earth.

Revelation 18:1-24 GW After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. (2) He cried out in a powerful voice, "Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean bird, and every unclean and hated beast. (3) All the nations fell because of the wine of her sexual sins. The kings of the earth had sex with her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich." (4) I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. (5) Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. (6) Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. (7) She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, 'I'm a queen on a throne, not a widow. I'll never be miserable.' (8) For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful. (9) "The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. (10) Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say, 'How horrible, how horrible it is for that important city, the powerful city Babylon! In one moment judgment has come to it!' (11) "The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore. (12) No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, (13) cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans). (14) 'The fruit you craved is gone. All your luxuries and your splendor have disappeared. No one will ever find them again.' (15) "Frightened by her torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn, (16) saying, 'How horrible, how horrible for that important city which was wearing fine linen, purple clothes, bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls. (17) In one moment all this wealth has been destroyed!' Every ship's captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. (18) When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, 'Was there ever a city as important as this?' (19) Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning, 'How horrible, how horrible for that important city. Everyone who had a ship at sea grew rich because of that city's high prices. In one moment it has been destroyed!' (20) "Gloat over it, heaven, God's people, apostles, and prophets. God has condemned it for you." (21) Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said, "The important city Babylon will be thrown down with the same force. It will never be found again. (22) The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in it again. Skilled craftsman will never be found in it again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in it again. (23) Light from lamps will never shine in it again. Voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in it again. Its merchants were the important people of the world, because all the nations were deceived by its witchcraft. (24) "The blood of prophets, God's people, and everyone who had been murdered on earth was found in it."

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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:

ALT - Analytical Literal Translation

ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).

BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English

Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible

Calvin - 1856 by Calvin Translation Society

CEV - Contemporary English Version

Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible

Darby - 1889 Darby Bible

DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible

ESV - English Standard Version

GNB - Good News Bible

GW - God's Word Bible

ISV - International Standard Version

KJV - 1769 King James Version

KJV-1611 - Old King James Version from 1611

LitNT - Literal New Testament

LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

MKJV - 1962 Modern King James Version

Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament

MWT - Modern World Translation

NWT - New World Translation

RV - Revised Version

Webster - 1833 Webster Bible

WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament

Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible

YLT - 1862/1898 Young's Literal Translation

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