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OET (OET-LV) And he_cried_out with a_mighty voice saying:
Fell, fell Babulōn/(Bāⱱel?
) the great.
And it_became a_dwelling_place of_demons, and a_prison of_every spirit unclean, and a_prison of_every bird unclean, and having_been_hated.
OET (OET-RV) He called out in a loud voice, saying, “The mighty Babylon has fallen and become a place for demons to live, and a prison for evil spirits and for every kind of scavenging and detestable bird.[fn]
18:2 There’s some manuscript variations here, and so some translations also mention wild animals.
In this section, three heavenly beings each announce something about Babylon. The first announcement is that the city is destroyed. Her riches and prosperity have been taken away.
The second announcement is that God’s people should leave Babylon before God destroys her. It also describes how kings and others mourn over the destroyed city.
The third announcement is that Babylon will never be built again.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
An angel announced that Babylon was destroyed, and some groups are sad
Announcements about the destruction of Babylon
Various people talk about Babylon
And he cried out in a mighty voice:
He shouted in/with a strong voice,
He shouted powerfully,
And he cried out in a mighty voice: The phrase in a mighty voice is not emphasized in the Greek. So you do not need to emphasize this phrase in your translation. For example:
He shouted with a powerful voice (NET)
cried out: The Greek word refers to speaking loudly so that many people can hear the message.
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
“The great Babylon has fallen, indeed she/it has fallen!
“The great city of Babylon is in ruins, complete ruins!
Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great: The Greek words are literally “The great Babylon fell fell.” The verb “fell” is repeated in order to emphasize it. The BSB emphasizes the verb by repeating it and by placing it first, in poetic style common in English. The GNT emphasizes the verb by using two complete sentences:
She has fallen! Great Babylon has fallen!The pronoun “She” refers to Babylon here.
See how you translated these words in 14:8.
Fallen: Here the word Fallen refers to the result of the beast (and others) destroying the city (17:16).
In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate or imply that the city fell because of some accident. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
Explain the implied meaning in your translation. For example:
has been destroyed and so has fallen
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
has been destroyed
is finished/gone
Explain the implied meaning in a footnote. For example:
This refers to the beast and others destroying the city (17:16) as God planned (17:17).
Babylon: Babylon had once been a very powerful city. The city was well known for idol worship. It controlled a vast empire at that time. One of its kings conquered Jerusalem. But at the time of Jesus and John, it was only ruins. So the name Babylon is a symbol here. It refers to a city, country, or empire that opposes God. This could include Rome or a future powerful city. Use the name Babylon here.
the great: The city of Babylon is called the great because it had once been an important and famous city. It had controlled a vast empire and held great influence in that region. See how you translated this phrase in 17:5.
She has become a lair for demons
She/It has become a place where demons live
Demons live/dwell in her/it,
She: This pronoun refers to the city of Babylon. 18:2c–d describes it. 18:3a–c continues to use the metaphor of a woman for the city.
a lair for demons: The Greek word that the BSB translates as lair refers to a location where someone or something lives. The demons live in the ruins of Babylon. People are no longer living there. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
a dwelling place of demons (RSV)
a lair for demons (NET)
demons: This word refers to evil spirit beings. The word demons does not refer to the spirits of dead people.
and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.
and a place where every unclean spirit, every foul/vile and hated bird takes refuge, and a place where every foul/vile and hated animal takes refuge.
and all kinds of evil spirits and loathsome, disgusting birds and animals live there watching over her/it,
haunt: The Greek word that the BSB translates as haunt refers to a place where an evil spiritual being lives. It probably includes the sense of guarding something. The demons probably watch over the ruins of Babylon and resent anyone trying to enter. Other ways to translate this word are:
refuge
place of watching/guarding
unclean spirit: The BSB literally represents the Greek of this phrase. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
foul spirit (RSV)
filthy spirit (CEV)
The phrase unclean spirit is a Hebrew idiom that refers to the spirit being sinful. A sinful spirit is religiously unclean and, therefore, unable to stand before God. An unclean spirit has rebelled against God.
In some languages translating unclean spirit literally would not have the meaning above. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Literally: “unclean spirit.” The phrase “unclean spirit” is a Hebrew idiom that refers to the spirit being sinful. A sinful spirit is religiously unclean and, therefore, unable to stand before God.
spirit: The word spirit refers to a being that is usually not seen. Angels and demons are spirits.
every unclean bird, and every detestable beast: The Greek word that the BSB translates as every here probably means “many different kinds.” For example:
all kinds of filthy and hateful birds (GNT)
unclean bird: In the Old Testament, writers referred to these kinds of birds as living in desolate or deserted places (Isaiah 34:11, Jeremiah 50:39). In Jewish culture, these birds were symbolic of demons. You may want to explain that implied meaning in a footnote. For example:
In the Old Testament, writers referred to these kinds of birds as living in desolate or deserted places (Isaiah 13:20–21, 34:10–11, Jeremiah 50:39). In Jewish culture, these birds were symbolic of demons.
unclean: The Greek word that the BSB translates as unclean means “defiled” or “desecrated.” It can also have the figurative meaning of “unfit before God” here. For example:
foul (RSV)
filthy (GNT)
vile/nasty
disgustingUma Back Translation on TW.
and every detestable beast: There is a textual issue here:
Some versions include these words. For example:
a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast (ESV) (BSB, NIV11, ESV, NRSV, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, NCV)
Some versions do not include these words. (RSV, NIV84, GNT, NJB, NASB, KJV, REB)
It is recommended that you follow option (1), because the Greek NT 4 includes them.But they indicate that they had difficulty in deciding which text is correct. They include it with brackets around the phrase. Beale (page 895) says, “a scribe’s eye inadvertently skipped from one phrase beginning with “and a prison of every”…to the next phrase beginning with the same words.” So it is missing from many manuscripts.
detestable: This word refers to things that people hate or avoid. Other ways to translate this word are:
loathsome (NJB)
hated
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἔπεσεν, Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη
fell (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
See how you translated the similar expression in [14:8](../14/08.md). Alternate translation: [Babylon the Great has been destroyed] or [God has destroyed Babylon the Great]
Note 2 topic: translate-textvariants
ἔπεσεν, Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη
fell (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
Some ancient manuscripts read, Babylon the Great has fallen. ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts read, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great.” If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of ULT.
Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns
ἐγένετο
˱it˲_became
As the General Notes to this chapter discuss, the pronoun she refers to the city of Babylon. People in this culture conventionally referred to cities with feminine pronouns. Your language may use a different gender. You could also use a noun. Alternate translation: [it has become] or [that city has become]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism
κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων, καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου
˓a˒_dwelling_place ˱of˲_demons (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. The angel is speaking in a Hebrew style of poetry, and Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition. It would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if such repetition would not be natural in your language, you could connect the phrases with a word other than and in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [an abode of demons, yes, a hold of every unclean spirit]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
φυλακὴ παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου , καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ μεμισημένου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
The angel says every here as a generalization for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: [she has become overrun with unclean spirits and with unclean and detested birds]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
φυλακὴ παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου , καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ μεμισημένου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
The angel is speaking as if these spirits and birds were literally in a hold, that is, a prison or other place where they were watched or guarded and could not leave. He means that the spirits and birds are now able to linger in the ruins of Babylon. Your language may have terms for places where animals and birds stay. Alternate translation: [a den of every unclean spirit and a roost of every unclean and detested bird]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ μεμισημένου
bird unclean (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
The terms unclean and detested mean similar things. The angel is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [loathsome bird]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ μεμισημένου
bird unclean (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων Ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλών ἡ μεγάλη Καί ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων καί φυλακή παντός πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καί φυλακή παντός ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου καί μεμισημένου)
The angel assumes that his listeners will understand that these birds are unclean and detested according to the law of Moses because they eat dead animals. You can say that explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [unclean and detested bird that eats dead animals] or [loathsome bird that eats dead animals]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
μεμισημένου
˓having_been˒_hated
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [detestable]
18:2 Babylon is fallen: See Isa 21:9. Once a beautifully dressed woman (see Rev 17:4), Babylon (Rome) became a desolate den for demons and unclean birds such as vultures (cp. Isa 13:20-22; Jer 4:23-31; 50:39).
OET (OET-LV) And he_cried_out with a_mighty voice saying:
Fell, fell Babulōn/(Bāⱱel?
) the great.
And it_became a_dwelling_place of_demons, and a_prison of_every spirit unclean, and a_prison of_every bird unclean, and having_been_hated.
OET (OET-RV) He called out in a loud voice, saying, “The mighty Babylon has fallen and become a place for demons to live, and a prison for evil spirits and for every kind of scavenging and detestable bird.[fn]
18:2 There’s some manuscript variations here, and so some translations also mention wild animals.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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