Revelation 18:16
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse highlights that the city's "clothing" of fine linen, purple, gold, and jewels isn't just about outward beauty, but also represents its vast and luxurious trade. It’s a stark reminder that worldly wealth and possessions, even when displayed with immense splendor, ultimately lead to ruin when they become the focus instead of God.
“Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The kings and merchants of the earth, who have profited from this great city's luxury and sin, now stand at a distance, horrified by its sudden destruction. They cry out in lament, recalling the opulent finery and wealth that symbolized the city's power and allure, the very things that drew them into its corrupt embrace. This mournful outcry highlights the superficial nature of their grief, rooted in loss of gain and comfort rather than true repentance.
This verse bursts with the lament of kings and merchants over a fallen city. What makes its destruction so devastating, even to those who profited from it?
The cry of "Alas, alas!" echoes the deep shock and grief over the sudden, utter ruin of a magnificent city. This isn't just any city; it's Babylon, the symbol of worldly power, wealth, and allure. The description of its clothing – fine linen, purple, scarlet, gold, jewels, and pearls – paints a vivid picture of unparalleled luxury. These weren't just fancy clothes; they represented the vast global trade and the decadent lifestyle that Babylon facilitated. The people mourning here are those who benefited from this system. They lament not the spiritual or moral corruption, but the devastating loss of their material prosperity and the opulent world they knew.
The rich attire of this city isn't just about outward show; it speaks to a deeper, more sinister commerce. What did this city truly trade in?
The luxury described – the fine linen, purple, gold, and jewels – is more than just wealth; it symbolizes the illicit spiritual and material trade that defined this great city. While merchants and kings mourn the loss of their profits, the text hints at a much more grievous trade: the trafficking of souls (as seen in Revelation 18:13). This city, a representation of a global system opposed to God, deals in luxury goods and human lives, ultimately leading to spiritual destruction. The lament, therefore, is a worldly sorrow for lost gain, not for the eternal consequences or the destruction of lives.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
ouai · Greek Interjection
An interjection expressing grief, woe, or extreme distress. In a biblical context, it often serves as a pronouncement of impending doom or judgment against those who have rebelled against God.
polis · Greek Noun
Refers to Babylon/Rome, a symbol of human pride, power, and opposition to God. It represents the height of worldly influence and seductive idolatry that competes with the kingdom of God.
byssinos · Greek Adjective/Noun
A high-quality, white fabric often associated with purity, holiness, and the righteousness of the saints. In this context, it highlights the city's pretension to majesty and divine-like status.
porphyra kai kokkinos · Greek Noun/Adjective
In the ancient world, these dyes were extremely expensive and exclusive to royalty and the wealthy. They symbolize arrogance, luxury, and the exercise of worldly power.
chrysion, lithos, margarites · Greek Noun
Precious materials used to demonstrate extreme wealth and physical beauty. They represent the temporal treasures of the world that distract from eternal value.
This passage describes the immense wealth and trading power of the city of Tyre, using many of the same luxurious materials (fine linen, purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, pearls) that are attributed to the great city in Revelation 18.
Revelation 17:4This verse describes the 'great city' in Revelation 17 as being arrayed in purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, and pearls, directly paralleling the description of her wealth and luxury in this passage.
Luke 16:19-25The parable of the rich man and Lazarus highlights the emptiness of material wealth in the face of eternity, offering a stark contrast to the decadent riches of the great city that are ultimately lost.
Isaiah 13:19-22This prophetic oracle against Babylon uses imagery of judgment and desolation that mirrors the fate of the great city in Revelation, emphasizing the fall of even the most splendid human empires.
barnesRevelation 18:16: "And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!"
And saying, Alas, alas ... - notes on Revelation 18:10 . That was clothed in fine linen - In the previous description Revelation 18:12-13, these are mentioned as articles of traffic; here the city, under the image of a female, is represented as clothed in the most rich and frivolous of these articles. And purple, and scarlet…
cambridgeRevelation 18:16: "And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!"
16 . Alas, alas ] See on Revelation 18:10 . decked ] Lit., gilded , as at Revelation 17:4 . stones … pearls ] Both these words should be collective singulars.
This verse highlights that the city's "clothing" of fine linen, purple, gold, and jewels isn't just about outward beauty, but also represents its vast and luxurious trade. It’s a stark reminder that worldly wealth and possessions, even when displayed with immense splendor, ultimately lead to ruin when they become the focus instead of God.
The kings and merchants of the earth, who have profited from this great city's luxury and sin, now stand at a distance, horrified by its sudden destruction. They cry out in lament, recalling the opulent finery and wealth that symbolized the city's power and allure, the very things that drew them into its corrupt embrace. This mournful outcry highlights the superficial nature of their grief, rooted in loss of gain and comfort rather than true repentance.
The kings and merchants of the earth, who have profited from this great city's luxury and sin, now stand at a distance, horrified by its sudden destruction. They cry out in lament, recalling the opulent finery and wealth that symbolized the city's power and allure, the very things that drew them into its corrupt embrace. This mournful outcry highlights the superficial nature of their grief, rooted in loss of gain and comfort rather than true repentance.
"“Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!" — This verse highlights that the city's "clothing" of fine linen, purple, gold, and jewels isn't just about outward beauty, but also represents its vast and luxurious trade. It’s a stark reminder that…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
