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Revelation 18:5

New Testament Apocalyptic ASV (1901)

What does Revelation 18:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Revelation 18:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Revelation 18

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.
3For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness.
4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:
5for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6Render unto her even as she rendered, and double [unto her] the double according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double.
7How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.
8Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judged her.
← Revelation 18:4Revelation 18:6 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For her sins have reached unto heaven, etc.] Or “have followed unto heaven”; one after another, in one age after another, until they have been as it were heaped up together, and have reached the heavens; the phrase denotes the multitude of them, God's knowledge and notice of them, and the cry of them to him; (see <011820>Genesis 18:20 Jon 1:2) the Alexandrian copy and Complutensian edition read, “have cleaved”, or “glued”, and so the Syriac and Arabic versions seem to have read; her sins were as it were soldered together, and stuck fast to her, and being joined and linked together, made a long chain, and reached to heaven, and cleaved to that, and cried for vengeance: and God hath remembered…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“her sins--as a great heap. reached--Greek, "reached so far as to come into close contact with, and to cleave unto."”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“For her sins have reached unto heaven - So in Jeremiah 51:9, speaking of Babylon, it is said, “For her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” The meaning is not that the sins of this mystical Babylon were like a mass or pile so high as to reach to heaven, but that it had become so prominent as to attract the attention of God. Compare Genesis 4:10, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” See also Genesis 18:20. And God hath remembered her iniquities - He had seemed to forget them, or not to notice them, but now he acted as if they had come to his recollection. See the notes on Revelation 16:19. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Even to heaven - An expression which implies the highest guilt. Revelation 18:6”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“18:5 God remembers: His response may seem slow (Ps 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jon 4:2), but God is not weak, and he does not forget either good or evil (Rev 16:19; Gen 19:29; 1 Sam 1:19).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“reached: Gen 18:20, Gen 18:21; Ch2 28:9; Ezr 9:6; Jer 51:9; Jon 1:2 and: Rev 16:19 Revelation 18:6”
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Related study paths

Read Revelation 18 in contextBrowse Greek word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification