Revelation 18 · Verse 23

Revelation 18:23

And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Revelation 18:23, King James Version

Revelation 18:23 in other translations

BSBThe light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”
WEBThe light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you, for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
ASVand the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.
YLTand light of a lamp may not shine at all in thee any more; and voice of bridegroom and of bride may not be heard at all in thee any more; because thy merchants were the great ones of the earth, because in thy sorcery were all the nations led astray,
DARBYand light of lamp shall shine no more at all in thee, and voice of bridegroom and bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; for thy merchants were the great ones of the earth; for by thy sorcery have all the nations been deceived.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd the light of a candle shall shine no more in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

What does Revelation 18:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. What a blessed contrast is Re 22:5, respecting the city of God: "They need no candle (just as Babylon shall no more have the light of a candle, but for a widely different reason), for the Lord God giveth them light." candle--Translate as Greek, "lamp." bridegroom ... bride ... no more ... in thee--Contrast the heavenly city, with its Bridegroom, Bride, and blessed marriage supper (Re 19:7, 9; 21:2, 9; Is 62:4, 5). thy merchants were--So most of the best authorities read. But A omits the Greek article before "merchants," and then translates, "The great men of ... were thy merchants." sorceries--Greek, "sorcery."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee. Another image of desolation, as if every light were put out, and where were total darkness;

And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee. The merry and cheerful voice of the marriage procession in the streets, (Mt 25:1-7, seq.,) or the cheerful, glad voice of the newly-married couple in their own dwelling, (Jn 3:29.)

For thy merchants were the great men of the earth. Those who dealt with thee were the rich, and among them were even nobles and princes; and now that they trade with thee no more, there is occasion for lamentation and sorrow. The contrast is great between the time when distinguished foreigners crowded thy marts, and now, when none of any kind come to traffic with thee. The origin of this representation is probably the description of Tyre in Eze 27:1.

For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. This is stated as a reason for the ruin that had come upon her. It is a common representation of Papal Rome that she has deceived or deluded the nations Of the earth, (Rev 13:14) and no representation ever made accords more with facts as they have occurred. The word sorceries here refers to the various arts--the tricks, impostures, and false pretences, by which this has been done. Rev 9:21.

(c) "bridegroom" Jer 7:34, 16:9, 33:11 (d) "merchants" Isa 23:8 (e) "sorceries" 2Kgs 9:22, Nah 3:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 By thy sorceries - Political arts, state tricks, counterfeit miracles, and deceptive maneuvers of every kind. This may be spoken of many great cities of the world, which still continue to flourish!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 18:20-24

That which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God on earth, is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. The apostles, who are honoured and daily worshipped at Rome in an idolatrous manner, will rejoice in her fall. The fall of Babylon was an act of God's justice. And because it was a final ruin, this enemy should never molest them any more; of this they were assured by a sign. Let us take warning from the…

Read the full comment on Revelation 18:20-24 →

Revelation 18:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
φῶςphōs[the] lightG5457
λύχνουluchnouof lampG3088
οὐoucertainlyG3756
μὴmēnotG3361
φάνῃphanēmay shineG5316
ἐνeninG1722
σοὶsoiyouG4771
ἔτι,etiany longer,G2089
καὶkaiandG2532
φωνὴphōnē[the] voiceG5456
νυμφίουnumphiouof a bridegroomG3566
καὶkaiandG2532
νύμφηςnumphēsa brideG3565
οὐoucertainlyG3756
μὴmēnotG3361
ἀκουσθῇakousthēamay be heardG191
ἐνeninG1722
σοὶsoiyouG4771
ἔτι,etiany longer,G2089
ὅτιhotiforG3754
οἱhoitheG3588
ἔμποροίemporoimerchantsG1713
σουsouof youG4771
ἦσανēsanwereG1510
οἱhoitheG3588
μεγιστᾶνεςmegistanesgreat onesG3175
τῆςtēsof theG3588
γῆς,gēsearth,G1093
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
ἐνenbyG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
φαρμακείᾳpharmakeiasorceryG5331
σουsouof youG4771
ἐπλανήθησανeplanēthēsanwere deceivedG4105
πάνταpantaallG3956
τὰtatheG3588
ἔθνη.ethnēnations.G1484

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 18:23

  • Revelation 18:3

    For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

  • Nahum 3:4

    Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

  • Isaiah 23:8

    Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

  • Jeremiah 7:34

    Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

  • Revelation 22:15

    For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

  • Ezekiel 27:33-34

    When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall.

  • Proverbs 4:18-19

    But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

  • Jeremiah 16:9

    For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

  • Revelation 18:9

    And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

  • 2 Kings 9:22

    And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

  • Revelation 18:11-19

    And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. …

  • Proverbs 24:20

    For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the light.
22:5; Job 21:17; Pr 4:18,19; 24:20
the voice.
22
thy merchants.
3,11-19; Isa 23:8; Eze 27:24,25,33,34
for.
3,9; 12:9; 13:13-16; 17:2,5; 21:8; 22:15; 2Ki 9:22; Isa 47:9; Na 3:4
Ac 8:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Revelation 18:22

    And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

  • Revelation 18:23

    And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

  • Revelation 18:24

    And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Read all of Revelation 18

Revelation 18:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y luz de antorcha no alumbrará más en ti; y voz de esposo ni de esposa no será más en ti oída; porque tus mercaderes eran los magnates de la tierra; porque en tus hechicerías todas las gentes han errado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et la lumière de la lampe ne luira plus en toi; et la voix de l’époux et de l’épouse ne sera plus entendue en toi; car tes marchands étaient les grands de la terre; car, par ta magie, toutes les nations ont été égarées.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und das Licht einer Lampe wird nie mehr in dir scheinen, und die Stimme des Bräutigams und der Braut wird nie mehr in dir gehört werden; denn deine Kaufleute waren die Großen der Erde; denn durch deine Zauberei sind alle Nationen verführt worden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et lux lucernæ non lucebit in te amplius: et vox sponsi et sponsæ non audietur adhuc in te: quia mercatores tui erant principes terræ, quia in veneficiis tuis erraverunt omnes gentes.