Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.”
- KJV Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you 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!”
- 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 6:10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
- Rev 19:1–3After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God:
- Luke 18:7–8Won’t God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?
- Rev 12:12Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.”
- Isa 26:21For, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.
- 2 Pet 3:2that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:
- Isa 49:13Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break out into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.
- Ps 94:1Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out.
- Prov 11:10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. When the wicked perish, there is shouting.
- Eph 4:11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- Luke 11:49–50Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,
- Ps 109:28They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.
- Ps 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;
- Eph 2:20being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;
- Jer 51:47–48Therefore behold, the days come that I will execute judgment on the engraved images of Babylon; and her whole land will be confounded. All her slain will fall in the middle of her.
- Isa 44:23Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
- Jude 1:17But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Judg 5:31“So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
- Ps 48:11Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice, Because of your judgments.
- Eph 3:5which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
- Ps 18:47even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
- Ps 107:42The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
- Ps 96:11–13Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness!
- Deut 32:42I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of 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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