Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

REVELATION 18:8KJV
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Revelation 18:8 (KJV)

What does Revelation 18:8 mean?

Revelation 18:8 says that sudden and severe disasters—death, mourning, famine, and fire—will strike "her" (Babylon) all at once, because the Lord God is powerful and is judging her. The verse emphasizes that this judgment is certain and unstoppable because of God's strength.

In this part of Revelation, an angel is describing the downfall of "Babylon," a symbol for a corrupt and powerful city or system opposed to God. The verse follows a warning about Babylon's sins and predicts that her punishment will be swift and total, showing that no human power can resist God's decision to judge.

The Greek behind Revelation 18:8

  • The word for "plagues" is πληγαί (plēgai), which means blows, wounds, or disasters. This highlights that the troubles coming are not random but are direct strikes of judgment.
  • The phrase "in one day" uses ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ (en mia hēmera), stressing the suddenness and completeness of the judgment—everything happens at once, not gradually.
  • The word for "burned" is κατακαήσεται (katakaēsetai), meaning to be utterly consumed by fire. This indicates total destruction, not just damage.
  • The word for "strong" is ἰσχυρός (ischyros), which means mighty or powerful. This underlines that the reason Babylon cannot escape is because of God's unmatched strength.

Why Revelation 18:8 matters

  • Revelation 18:8 clears up any idea that Babylon's downfall will be slow or partial; the verse insists it will be sudden and total.
  • The verse emphasizes that God's judgment is not just a natural consequence but an active, powerful intervention—God is described as strong and as the one who judges.
  • This verse connects to the wider passage by showing that the warnings given earlier are not empty threats; God's authority ensures that what He declares will happen, no matter how secure Babylon seems.

Where else these words appear

“mourning” Greek G3997 · used in 4 verses

  • James 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
  • Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
  • Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

“burned” Greek G2618 · used in 11 verses

  • Matthew 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
  • Luke 3:17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
  • Hebrews 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

“famine” Greek G3042 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
  • Luke 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
  • Acts 11:28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

“plagues” Greek G4127 · used in 20 verses

  • Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
  • Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
  • Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.