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Selected Verse: Revelation 18:21 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Re 18:21	King James	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.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
a--Greek, "one." millstone--Compare the judgment on the Egyptian hosts at the Red Sea, Exo 15:5, Exo 15:10; Neh 9:11, and the foretold doom of Babylon, the world power, Jer 51:63-64. with violence--Greek, "with impetus." This verse shows that this prophecy is regarded as still to be fulfilled.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

a--Greek, "one."

millstone--Compare the judgment on the Egyptian hosts at the Red Sea, Exo 15:5, Exo 15:10; Neh 9:11, and the foretold doom of Babylon, the world power, Jer 51:63-64.

with violence--Greek, "with impetus." This verse shows that this prophecy is regarded as still to be fulfilled.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And a mighty angel - See the notes on Rev 18:1. This seems, however, to have been a different angel from the one mentioned in Rev 18:1, though, like that, he is described as having great power. Took up a stone like a great millstone - On the structure of mills among the ancients see the notes on Mat 24:41. And cast it into the sea - As an emblem of the utter ruin of the city; an indication that the city would be as completely destroyed as that stone was covered by the waters. Saying, Thus with violence - With force, as the stone was thrown into the sea. The idea is, that it would not be by a gentle and natural decline, but by the application of foreign power. This accords with all the representations in this book, that violence will be employed to overthrow the papal power. See Rev 17:16-17. The origin of this image is probably Jer 51:63-64; "And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring on her."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And a mighty angel - See the notes on Rev 18:1. This seems, however, to have been a different angel from the one mentioned in Rev 18:1, though, like that, he is described as having great power.

Took up a stone like a great millstone - On the structure of mills among the ancients see the notes on Mat 24:41.

And cast it into the sea - As an emblem of the utter ruin of the city; an indication that the city would be as completely destroyed as that stone was covered by the waters.

Saying, Thus with violence - With force, as the stone was thrown into the sea. The idea is, that it would not be by a gentle and natural decline, but by the application of foreign power. This accords with all the representations in this book, that violence will be employed to overthrow the papal power. See Rev 17:16-17. The origin of this image is probably Jer 51:63-64; "And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring on her."

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
A mighty angel (εἷς ἄγγελος ἰσχυρὸς) Lit., "one strong angel." A great millstone See on Mat 18:6. With violence (ὁρμήματι) Lit. with an impulse or rush. Only here in the New Testament.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

A mighty angel (εἷς ἄγγελος ἰσχυρὸς)

Lit., "one strong angel."

A great millstone

See on Mat 18:6.

With violence (ὁρμήματι)

Lit. with an impulse or rush. Only here in the New Testament.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
And a mighty angel took up a stone, and threw it into the sea - By a like emblem Jeremiah fore - showed the fall of the Chaldean Babylon, Jer 51:63-64.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

And a mighty angel took up a stone, and threw it into the sea - By a like emblem Jeremiah fore - showed the fall of the Chaldean Babylon, Jer 51:63-64.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down - This action is finely and forcibly expressed by the original words: Οὑτως ὁρμηματι βληθησεται Βαβυλων ἡ μεγαλη πολις. The millstone will in falling have not only an accelerated force from the law of gravitation, but that force will be greatly increased by the projectile force impressed upon it by the power of the destroying angel. Shall be found no more at all - In her government, consequence, or influence. This is true of ancient Babylon; we are not certain even of the place where it stood. It is also true of Jerusalem; her government, consequence, and influence are gone. It is not true of Rome pagan; nor, as yet, of Rome papal: the latter still exists, and the former is most intimately blended with it; for in her religions service Rome papal has retained her language, and many of her heathen temples has she dedicated to saints real or reputed, and incorporated many of her superstitions and absurdities in a professedly Christian service. It is true also that many idols are now restored under the names of Christian saints!

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down - This action is finely and forcibly expressed by the original words: Οὑτως ὁρμηματι βληθησεται Βαβυλων ἡ μεγαλη πολις. The millstone will in falling have not only an accelerated force from the law of gravitation, but that force will be greatly increased by the projectile force impressed upon it by the power of the destroying angel.

Shall be found no more at all - In her government, consequence, or influence. This is true of ancient Babylon; we are not certain even of the place where it stood. It is also true of Jerusalem; her government, consequence, and influence are gone. It is not true of Rome pagan; nor, as yet, of Rome papal: the latter still exists, and the former is most intimately blended with it; for in her religions service Rome papal has retained her language, and many of her heathen temples has she dedicated to saints real or reputed, and incorporated many of her superstitions and absurdities in a professedly Christian service. It is true also that many idols are now restored under the names of Christian saints!

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