Revelation 18:21 Meaning and Explanation
“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A mighty angel hurls a great millstone into the sea as a sign that Babylon will be thrown down and vanish forever.
What Does Revelation 18:21 Mean?
A mighty angel performs a vivid sign. He lifts a stone the size of a great millstone and casts it into the sea, declaring that just so will Babylon be thrown down with violence and 'shall be found no more at all.' The heavy stone sinking out of sight pictures the city's sudden and final disappearance.
Words become deed in this acted parable: as the millstone plunges and is gone, so the great city will sink beyond recovery. The finality is total, a vanishing with no return. What the world thought too great to fall is shown to be as fleeting as a stone swallowed by the sea. The reader is steadied by the certainty of God's word against evil, and pointed to the kingdom that, unlike Babylon, will never be thrown down.
Revelation 18:21 in the Original Language
mulos (μύλος), 'millstone' -- a heavy grinding stone; cast into the sea, it pictures an irretrievable fall.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 18:21
What does Revelation 18:21 mean?
A mighty angel hurls a great millstone into the sea as a sign that Babylon will be thrown down and vanish forever.