### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek noun `{{G1711}}` (emporía) is derived from `{{G1712}}` (emporos), meaning a merchant or one who travels for trade. Its core meaning encompasses the entire scope of commercial activity: traffic, trade, or the business of buying and selling. It can also refer metonymically to the *merchandise* or *wares* themselves—the goods that are the subject of commerce. The semantic range of emporía thus extends from the abstract concept of trade as an economic system to the concrete items being exchanged, highlighting the pursuit of profit through commercial ventures.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term `{{G1711}}` (emporía) appears only once in the New Testament, but its single occurrence is highly significant, embedded within the apocalyptic vision of Revelation.
* **[[Revelation 18:11]]**: "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise (τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐτῶν) anymore." This verse is part of the extensive lament over the fall of "Babylon the Great," portrayed as a powerful commercial and political entity. Here, emporía explicitly refers to the *merchandise* or *wares* that were traded by the merchants.
* The broader context of [[Revelation 18:9-19]] describes the complete economic collapse of Babylon. The lamenting merchants, shipmasters, and sailors mourn the sudden cessation of the vast trade that enriched them through Babylon. The list of goods in [[Revelation 18:12-13]]—ranging from precious metals and stones to spices, fine fabrics, and even "bodies and souls of men"—underscores the extensive, luxurious, and morally compromised nature of Babylon's emporía.
* The use of emporía in this passage emphasizes the economic foundation of Babylon's power and influence. Its destruction signifies the end of a worldly system characterized by excessive wealth, luxury, and exploitation, all built upon commercial activity. The word is therefore central to understanding the economic dimension of Babylon's judgment.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **`{{G1712}}` (emporos):** Merchant; the agent or person engaged in emporía. This noun directly relates to emporía as the one who performs the act of trade.
* **`{{G1713}}` (emporion):** Market, trading place; the physical location where emporía occurs.
* **`{{G1710}}` (emporeuomai):** To travel for trade, to traffic, to make merchandise of; the verb describing the action of engaging in emporía.
* **`{{G4066}}` (pragmateia):** Business, occupation, affair. A more general term for human activity, which can include commercial endeavors.
* **`{{G2041}}` (ergasia):** Work, business, gain. Can refer to the pursuit of profit or the activity that generates it.
* **Old Testament Parallels:** Prophetic condemnations of commercial cities like Tyre and Sidon (e.g., [[Ezekiel 27]], [[Isaiah 23]]) provide a rich background for understanding the lament over Babylon's emporía. These passages similarly detail extensive trade and luxury, followed by divine judgment due to their pride, idolatry, and exploitation. The concept of "making merchandise of" people (e.g., [[Joel 3:6]]) also finds a stark echo in Revelation's list of Babylon's wares.
### Theological Significance
The singular New Testament occurrence of `{{G1711}}` (emporía) in [[Revelation 18:11]] carries profound theological weight.
* **Judgment on Worldly Systems:** The cessation of Babylon's emporía symbolizes God's ultimate judgment not merely on individual sins but on entire systems of economic power, luxury, and materialism that are divorced from divine righteousness. Babylon represents the corrupting influence of worldly wealth and its pursuit as an end in itself, often achieved through exploitation and injustice.
* **Idolatry of Riches:** The lament over the lost emporía underscores how easily commercial success and material possessions can become idols, replacing God as the object of human devotion and trust. The detailed list of merchandise reveals the extent of human desire for luxury and the commodification of even human beings ("bodies and souls of men"), highlighting the moral depravity that can accompany unchecked commercialism.
* **Transience of Earthly Prosperity:** The sudden and complete destruction of Babylon's emporía serves as a stark reminder of the impermanence of all earthly wealth, power, and achievements. Unlike the eternal kingdom of God, worldly economic systems, no matter how vast or seemingly secure, are ultimately subject to divine judgment and will pass away. This calls believers to set their hearts not on transient earthly treasures but on eternal realities.
* **Ethical Implications for Believers:** While trade and commerce are not inherently evil, the biblical context of emporía in Revelation warns against the dangers of greed, exploitation, and the pursuit of wealth at any cost. It challenges believers to critically evaluate their participation in economic systems, ensuring that their commercial activities are conducted with justice, integrity, and a Kingdom perspective, rather than conforming to the unrighteous patterns of the world.
### Summary
The Greek term `{{G1711}}` (emporía) denotes *commerce* or *merchandise*. Its sole appearance in the New Testament, specifically in [[Revelation 18:11]], is highly illustrative. Here, it refers to the vast array of goods that constituted the extensive and corrupt trade of "Babylon the Great," a symbolic representation of worldly power and luxury. The complete cessation of this emporía signifies God's decisive judgment upon all systems of economic exploitation, materialism, and unrighteous gain. The word thus serves as a powerful theological motif, highlighting the transient nature of earthly wealth, the dangers of idolatry, and the ultimate triumph of divine justice over all human endeavors that stand in opposition to God's righteous kingdom.
TRV