Revelation 18:6

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

Reward {G591} her {G846} even {G2532} as {G5613} she {G846}{G3778} rewarded {G591} you {G5213}, and {G2532} double {G1363} unto her {G846} double {G1362} according to {G2596} her {G846} works {G2041}: in {G1722} the cup {G4221} which {G3739} she hath filled {G2767} fill {G2767} to her {G846} double {G1362}.

“Render to her as she rendered to others!
Pay her back double for what she has done!
Use the cup in which she has brewed
to brew her a double-sized drink!

Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.

Render 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.

Context of Revelation 18:6

Revelation 18:6 is a pivotal verse within the prophetic pronouncements concerning the fall of "Babylon the Great," a symbolic entity representing a powerful, corrupt, and idolatrous world system that has oppressed God's people and led the nations astray. Chapters 17 and 18 detail the identity and ultimate destruction of this spiritual and economic powerhouse. Immediately preceding this verse, a mighty angel announces Babylon's complete and irreversible collapse (Revelation 18:2), calling for God's people to separate from her sins and avoid her judgment (Revelation 18:4). Verse 6 then issues a command for divine retribution, emphasizing the principle of just recompense.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Justice and Retribution: The verse powerfully asserts God's unwavering commitment to justice. Babylon's judgment is not arbitrary but a direct consequence of her actions. The phrase "Reward her even as she rewarded you" highlights the principle of lex talionis, or "an eye for an eye," ensuring that the punishment perfectly fits the crime.
  • Proportionality and Double Measure: The repeated emphasis on "double unto her double according to her works" signifies a complete, overwhelming, and perhaps even amplified judgment. This "double" measure is not necessarily twice the amount of suffering, but rather a full and undeniable measure of divine wrath, proportionate to Babylon's immense evil, luxury, and oppression. It underscores the severity and completeness of her destruction.
  • The Cup of Wrath: The imagery of "the cup which she hath filled fill to her double" is a common biblical metaphor. In the Old Testament, a cup often symbolizes destiny, suffering, or God's wrath (see Jeremiah 25:15 or Isaiah 51:17). Here, Babylon filled a cup of wickedness, persecution, and idolatry for others, and now she is forced to drink from a cup of judgment, but with a double portion, symbolizing the full extent of her deserved punishment.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "double" (diplous) appears twice in close succession ("double unto her double"), creating a strong rhetorical emphasis. This repetition underscores the absolute certainty and comprehensive nature of the judgment. It's not merely a tit-for-tat but a complete, decisive, and final reckoning that leaves no room for escape or mitigation. The phrase "according to her works" (kata ta erga autēs) further stresses that the judgment is entirely merited, based on her accumulated deeds of sin, oppression, and rebellion against God.

Practical Application and Reflection

For believers, Revelation 18:6 offers several significant reflections:

  • Assurance of God's Justice: In a world where evil often seems to triumph and the wicked prosper, this verse provides profound assurance that God sees, God remembers, and God will ultimately execute perfect justice. No sin or injustice will go unpunished.
  • Warning Against Worldliness: The judgment of Babylon serves as a stark warning against entanglement with systems, values, or practices that oppose God. It reinforces the call to "come out from among them" and live lives distinct from the corrupting influences of the world.
  • Encouragement for the Persecuted: For those who have suffered persecution or injustice at the hands of oppressive systems, this verse is a promise of vindication and relief. God will repay those who harm His people, ensuring ultimate justice for the righteous.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 50:29

    Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

  • Psalms 137:8

    O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

  • Jeremiah 50:15

    Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it [is] the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

  • Jeremiah 51:24

    And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.

  • Revelation 14:10

    The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

  • Revelation 16:19

    And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

  • Jeremiah 17:18

    Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

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