Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.”
- BSB Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.
- NKJV “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
- NASB Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”
- NLT Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Heaven, saints, apostles, and prophets are called to rejoice, for God has judged Babylon on their behalf. The martyrs are vindicated.
Overview
In sharp contrast to the earth's mourning, heaven is summoned to rejoice over Babylon's fall. God has 'judged your judgment on her,' answering the cry of the martyrs for justice. The verse assures the persecuted church that God will vindicate His people, turning their suffering into cause for praise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Rev 6:10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
- Rev 19:1–3And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
- Luke 18:7–8And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
- Rev 12:12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
- Isa 26:21For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
- 2 Pet 3:2That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
- Isa 49:13Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
- Ps 94:1O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
- Prov 11:10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
- Eph 4:11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
- Luke 11:49–50Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
- Ps 109:28Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
- Ps 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Eph 2:20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
- Jer 51:47–48Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
- Isa 44:23Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
- Jude 1:17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
- Judg 5:31So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
- Ps 48:11Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
- Eph 3:5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
- Ps 18:47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
- Ps 107:42The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
- Ps 96:11–13Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
- Deut 32:42I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 18:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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