Revelation 16:19 kjv
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Revelation 16:19 nkjv
Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
Revelation 16:19 niv
The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.
Revelation 16:19 esv
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.
Revelation 16:19 nlt
The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon's sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath.
Revelation 16 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 14:8 | And another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.” | Announces Babylon's fall |
| Rev 17:18 | And the woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. | Identifies "great city" as Babylon |
| Rev 18:2 | He cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit...” | Reiteration of Babylon's complete fall |
| Isa 13:1 | The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. | Prophecy of Babylon's destruction |
| Jer 51:13 | O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your greed. | God's judgment on Babylon in OT |
| Jer 25:15 | For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to me: “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.” | Cup of God's wrath against nations |
| Isa 51:17 | Rouse yourself, rouse yourself, arise, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath; you who have drunk to the dregs the goblet of staggering. | Nations drink God's wrath |
| Ps 75:8 | For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, and the wine foams; it is well mixed and He pours out from it; surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs. | The wicked consume divine wrath |
| Eze 38:19 | In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. | Great earthquake as a sign of divine wrath |
| Joel 3:16 | The LORD roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth tremble. But the LORD is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel. | Earthquakes associated with God's judgment |
| Zeph 1:15 | A day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness... | Description of the day of wrath |
| Lam 2:16 | All your enemies have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, “We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day for which we waited; We have found it, we have seen it.” | God's judgment fulfilled |
| Rev 11:13 | And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. | Previous great earthquake in Jerusalem |
| Rev 6:12 | I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, and the whole moon became like blood... | Great earthquake at the seals judgment |
| Rev 18:5-6 | For her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. | God remembers sins for judgment |
| Gen 19:24-25 | Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the LORD out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities and all the plain and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. | Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of complete destruction |
| Mt 24:7 | For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. | Earthquakes as signs of the end times |
| 2 Thess 1:8-9 | those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power... | Penalty of eternal destruction |
| Rev 19:2 | because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER. | God's righteous judgment on the great harlot |
| Luke 11:50-51 | so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah... | God remembers past injustices |
| Jude 1:7 | Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. | Sodom/Gomorrah as an eternal example |
Revelation 16 verses
Revelation 16 19 Meaning
Revelation 16:19 describes the devastating consequence of the seventh bowl of God's wrath. Following an unprecedented earthquake, "the great city," identified elsewhere as "Babylon the Great," is catastrophically divided into three parts, signifying its utter destruction. This divine judgment extends to "the cities of the nations," indicating a universal reckoning. The verse emphasizes that God, who had patiently observed, finally "remembered" Babylon and administered to her the full, unmitigated "cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath," signifying ultimate, righteous punishment for her spiritual rebellion and corruption.
Revelation 16 19 Context
Revelation chapter 16 details the seven bowl judgments, which represent the final outpouring of God's wrath before the return of Christ. These judgments are progressively more severe, directly impacting humanity and the earth. Verse 19 specifically describes the cataclysmic effect of the seventh and final bowl (Rev 16:17-18). An unparalleled earthquake, the greatest in human history, immediately precedes the specific judgment on "the great city." This climactic event fulfills numerous Old Testament prophecies of a final judgment on a corrupt world system. Historically, "Babylon the Great" served as a coded reference for Rome to John's original audience, who understood the city's power, idolatry, persecution of believers, and resistance to God's reign, mirroring the historical Babylon that oppressed Israel. This context emphasizes God's sovereign control over nations and His ultimate righteous vengeance against all forms of human rebellion and injustice.
Revelation 16 19 Word analysis
- And the great city:
- Original Greek: kai hē polis hē megalē (καὶ ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη).
- Significance: This phrase is directly tied to "Babylon the Great" (Rev 14:8, 17:18, 18:2), which symbolically represents the entire anti-God world system that has persecuted the saints and gloried in itself. While in earlier Revelation "the great city" might also refer to Jerusalem (Rev 11:8), here in the context of Babylon's fall, it unambiguously denotes this worldwide opposing power.
- was divided into three parts:
- Original Greek: eschisthē eis treis meridas (ἐσχίσθη εἰς τρεῖς μερίδας).
- Significance: Eschisthe (from schizō) means to be torn or split apart. The division into "three parts" signifies complete, total, and irreversible destruction, not necessarily a literal tripartite split. The number three often symbolizes divine completion or wholeness in biblical numerology.
- and the cities of the nations fell:
- Original Greek: kai ai poleis tōn ethnōn epeson (καὶ αἱ πόλεις τῶν ἐθνῶν ἔπεσον).
- Significance: The judgment is not limited to "the great city" but extends globally. This underscores the universal scope of God's wrath. All human power structures and systems aligned against God face destruction.
- and great Babylon was remembered before God:
- Original Greek: kai Babylōn hē megalē emnēsthē enōpion tou Theou (καὶ Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη ἐμνήσθη ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ).
- Significance: This is an anthropomorphism. God doesn't forget; "remembered" signifies the time has come for long-foreseen judgment to be executed. It speaks to God's perfect justice, patiently holding record of sins, and finally acting decisively. It implies the exact moment for her deserved punishment has arrived, signifying both a reckoning and retribution.
- to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath:
- Original Greek: dounai autē to potērion tou oinou tou thymou tēs orgēs autou (δοῦναι αὐτῇ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ).
- Significance: This vivid imagery, drawn from numerous Old Testament prophetic warnings (e.g., Isa 51:17, Jer 25:15), symbolizes the full measure of divine judgment without dilution or mercy. "Cup of wrath" is a common biblical metaphor for punishment. "Fierceness" (thymos) and "wrath" (orgē) used together intensify the nature of this unmixed, consuming indignation of God against sin and rebellion.
Revelation 16 19 Bonus section
The repeated identification of "the great city" as "Babylon" throughout Revelation serves as a profound biblical typology. Historically, Babylon was an ancient city that epitomized human pride, idolatry, and rebellion against God, symbolized by the Tower of Babel. It later became the oppressor of God's people. In Revelation, this symbol expands to represent not just a literal city (likely Rome in John's context) but any political, economic, or religious system that elevates itself above God, persecutes His people, and draws the world into spiritual prostitution. The description of its sudden and total collapse reinforces the theological truth that all human power structures, however imposing, are ultimately fragile before the sovereignty of God. This judgment is the ultimate answer to the cry of the martyrs for vengeance, demonstrating God's vindication of His suffering saints. The judgment also has a clear legal aspect; God "remembers" the charges and delivers the verdict with overwhelming power.
Revelation 16 19 Commentary
Revelation 16:19 paints a dramatic picture of ultimate divine judgment. The "great city," a symbol of the world system opposed to God, experiences a devastating, unparalleled earthquake that completely fragments it, symbolizing its total ruin. This destruction extends beyond just "Babylon" to "the cities of the nations," highlighting the universal reach of God's wrath against all unrighteousness. The phrase "great Babylon was remembered before God" indicates that divine justice, though delayed, is meticulous and unwavering; it is a time of settled accounts. The imagery of the "cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath" emphasizes the absolute and undiluted nature of this judgment, pouring out God's complete indignation on the culmination of human rebellion and evil. This verse reassures believers of God's righteous dominion and His ultimate victory over all powers that defy Him. It demonstrates that God's justice is perfect and inevitable for those who persist in sin and oppose His will.