Revelation of John 18:24 · Bible study
Revelation 18:24 Commentary: The Blood of Prophets, Saints, and the Slain
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Babylon stand guilty of all bloodshed or only martyrs? An exegetical study of Revelation 18:24 with insights from major commentaries.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Babylon stands guilty for the blood of God’s messengers and for all the slain on earth, showing that God sees and will avenge every act of persecution.
- Key words: “Blood” (αἷμα), life taken violently; “was found” (εὑρέθη), exposed at judgment; “slain” (ἐσφαγμένων), butchered like animals, a term used for sacrificial victims and martyrs.
- Main debate: Does “all who have been slain” refer only to righteous martyrs (hyperbolic) or to all people killed by violence through Babylon’s influence?
- Theological theme: Divine justice; the certainty that God will vindicate His people; the corporate guilt of oppressive systems.
- Best use: A sobering reminder that evil regimes and institutions cannot hide their crimes, and that God’s judgment is both comprehensive and final.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.
WEB World English Bible 2000
In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and in her blood of prophets and of saints was found, and of all those who have been slain on the earth.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And in her was found [the] blood of prophets and saints, and of all the slain upon the earth.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y en ella fué hallada la sangre de los profetas y de los santos, y de todos los que han sido muertos en la tierra.
E nela se achou o sangue dos profetas e dos santos, e de todos os que foram mortos sobre a terra.
et parce qu’ on a trouvé chez elle le sang des prophètes et des saints et de tous ceux qui ont été égorgés sur la terre.
Und das Blut der Propheten und der Heiligen ist in ihr gefunden worden und all derer, die auf Erden erwürgt sind.
En in dezelve is gevonden het bloed der profeten en der heiligen, en al dergenen, die gedood zijn op de aarde.
e in lei è stato trovato il sangue dei profeti e dei santi e di tutti quelli che sono stati uccisi sopra la terra.
I w niem znalazła się krew proroków i świętych, i wszystkich, którzy są pobici na ziemi.
И в нем найдена кровь пророков и святых и всех убитых на земле.
先知 和 聖徒，並 地 上 一切 被殺之人 的血， 都在這城 裡 看見了。
And in her was seen the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been put to death on the earth.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 18:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Revelation 18:24 is the final indictment against Babylon the Great. The verse declares that “in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints”, a charge that echoes the Old Testament pattern of bloodguilt (Jeremiah 2:34; Ezekiel 22:9, 12). Gill sums up the common view: Babylon will be condemned for all the blood of God’s faithful people, shed through her persecution and influence. Wesley adds that Rome has a “clear title to catholic blood-guiltiness”, not only what was shed within the city but throughout the empire, because orders and edicts came from her. The debated point is the third clause: “and of all who have been slain on the earth.” Some, like Barnes, take it as a hyperbole meaning all the righteous blood ever shed, linking to Matthew 23:35. Others, such as Clarke, interpret it more broadly as the consequence of Babylon’s counsels and influence that incited nations to persecute. The core agreement is that the blood of God’s servants is on her hands, and that ultimate justice is coming.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Hyperbolic righteous blood: Links to Matthew 23:35 where 'all righteous blood' from Abel to Zechariah is charged to Jerusalem; 'slain' here means martyrs, and the phrase 'all who have been slain' is a sweeping indictment of the faithless church's persecution of God's people.
- Universal bloodguilt: The Greek πάντων τῶν ἐσφαγμένων can mean 'all the slaughtered,' not just believers. Babylon is guilty of all violence on earth because her influence incites murder.
- Historic Rome's guilt: Interpreters like Wesley and Barnes calculate specific historical martyrdoms under both pagan and papal Rome, seeing the verse as a direct prophecy of that institution's judgment.
What is clear: All sides agree that Babylon is held accountable for the violent death of God’s faithful servants, and that her judgment is definitive and just.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Babylon | Babylon represents a world system in rebellion against God, culminating in a city that persecutes the faithful. | Historic Protestant commentators (Barnes, Wesley, JFB) identify Babylon primarily with papal Rome, while others see it as any oppressive political/religious power. Catholic interpreters may read it as a symbol of worldliness, not a specific church. |
| Scope of bloodguilt | Babylon is guilty of shedding the blood of prophets and saints (God's faithful witnesses). | The third phrase 'all who have been slain on the earth' is read by some (Barnes, Clarke) as hyperbole for all righteous blood, while others (Wesley) see it as literal universal bloodguilt incited by Rome. |
| Relationship to Matthew 23:35 | Both passages charge a city with all righteous blood shed on earth, establishing a pattern of corporate guilt. | Some see Matthew 23 as exclusively about Jerusalem, while Revelation transfers the same principle to the eschatological Babylon. |
| Meaning of 'slain' (ἐσφαγμένων) | The Greek word implies violent death, often of sacrificial victims or martyrs. | Some argue the term always implies martyrdom (so only believers), while others note it can refer to any violent death (Acts 5:33, 1 John 3:12 uses it of Abel). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Revelation 18 draws heavily on Old Testament oracles against Tyre and Babylon. The imagery of a great city judged for violence and oppression is found in Isaiah 13, 14 and Jeremiah 50, 51. In Jeremiah 51:49 we read, “As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so the slain of all the land will fall at Babylon.” John reshapes that language to describe the end-time Babylon, a symbol that in his first-century context meant the Roman Empire. The historical record confirms that both pagan and papal Rome were responsible for massive persecution of Christians. Wesley cites the massacre of seventy thousand Huguenots under Charles IX and hundreds of thousands more through the Inquisition. The phrase “sorcery” in verse 23 (pharmakeia) recalls the idolatry and deception that enslaved the nations. In the apocalyptic genre, such language is deliberately sweeping: it paints the final judgment in cosmic terms. The mention of those “slain upon the earth” likely reflects Jesus’ own condemnation of Jerusalem in Matthew 23:35, where He says that “all the righteous blood shed on the earth” would come upon that generation. Here the same principle applies to Babylon, the harlot city.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Revelation 18:24. The Greek text is stable across manuscripts, with the only minor variation being the presence or absence of the definite article before “blood” (αἷμα), which does not affect the meaning. The verse is consistent across the major traditions.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Revelation 18:24 has been used to condemn oppressive regimes that persecute Christians. Early interpreters like Victorinus of Pettau applied it to pagan Rome. During the Reformation, Protestant commentators (e.g., Bale, Luther) saw the papacy as the true Babylon, guilty of the blood of countless martyrs. Wesley and Barnes continued this tradition, calculating the numbers of Protestants killed by the Inquisition. In modern times, the verse is often read more broadly: as a warning against any system, political, economic, or religious, that uses violence to maintain power. The moral force of the verse remains: God will judge those who shed innocent blood, especially the blood of His people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Guilt discovered, The verb “was found” (Greek: ηὑρέθη) indicates that when Babylon is judged, her hidden sins are exposed. The blood she thought she had covered cries out from the ground (cf. Genesis 4:10).
- Blood of two groups, “Prophets” and “saints” represent the Old and New Testament faithful. Babylon is accountable for every true witness of God she persecuted, from Abel to the last martyr.
- All the slain, The final category extends the guilt either to all righteous blood throughout history or to all victims of violence incited by Babylon’s evil influence. Either way, the scope is staggering: no innocent blood is overlooked by the Judge of all.
Five-point outline
- The charge: Babylon’s hands are stained with blood.
- The categories: prophets as God’s messengers, saints as His holy people.
- The expansion: “all who have been slain on the earth”, a global indictment.
- The hiddenness exposed: “was found”, judgment brings truth to light.
- The hope: God avenges His servants (Revelation 18:20). Justice is coming.
Illustration hooks
- A murder case cold for decades finally solved by new forensic evidence. The blood trail leads back to the person everyone thought was untouchable.
- A multinational corporation whose supply chain funds violence in distant countries. The products are clean, but the money trail shows guilt.
- A history textbook that glosses over the persecution of Christians under oppressive regimes, only to be reopened by a later generation that demands accountability.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is Babylon just Rome, or does it represent any worldly system that persecutes the church?
- Does this verse mean every person who dies by violence is a martyr?
- How does God’s judgment on Babylon give us hope when injustice seems to win?
Leading a Discussion
Revelation 18:24 is the climax of Babylon’s indictment. It declares that the great city is guilty of blood, not just any blood, but the blood of God’s people and of all who have been slain. This passage challenges us to think about how God sees injustice and how He promises to set things right. As you discuss, keep in mind the symbolic nature of apocalyptic language: Babylon represents a system of oppression and deception.
Discussion questions
- Why does the verse mention “prophets” and “saints” separately? What does that tell us about the kinds of people Babylon persecuted?
- What does it mean that the blood was “found in her”? How does this relate to hidden sins being exposed at judgment?
- Compare Revelation 18:24 with Matthew 23:35. How does Jesus’ statement about Jerusalem help us understand John’s words about Babylon?
- Some interpreters think “all who have been slain” refers only to the righteous; others think it includes all victims of violence. What are the strengths of each view?
- How should this verse affect the way we think about powerful institutions that profit from violence or persecution?
- Revelation 18:20 calls heaven to rejoice over Babylon’s fall. How do we hold together grief over judgment and hope for justice?
- If Babylon represents any system that opposes God, where do you see “Babylon” in the world today? How does this passage give you courage?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Jeremiah 2:34 | Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things. |
| Jeremiah 51:49 | “As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so the slain of all the land will fall at Babylon. |
| Ezekiel 22:9 | Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have committed lewdness among you. |
| Ezekiel 22:12 | In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord Yahweh. |
| Ezekiel 22:27 | Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain. |
| Daniel 7:21 | I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, |
| Matthew 23:27 | “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. |
| Matthew 23:35 | that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the bloodshed described refers not only to a city's own murders but to its influence, inciting other nations to persecute God's people. He contends no historical city has yet fully embodied this, so the prophecy still awaits a future fulfillment.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the woman as papal Rome and argues that the blood of all the slain throughout history was found in her. He insists that the countless persecutions of both pagan and papal Rome accumulated such massive guilt that it can be said all innocent blood ever shed was poured out there.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points out that John shifts from reporting the angel's message to describing his own personal reaction to the judgment. He also distinguishes the phrase "the slain of all the earth" here from its use in Jeremiah, understanding it as referring specifically to the slain of spiritual Israel.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize the total and irreversible desolation of Babylon by listing every sound of life that will fall silent: music, craftsmanship, and even the daily grinding of grain. Nothing remains — not joy, not work, not the most ordinary household activity.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that Babylon’s guilt extends far beyond those she personally killed. She is charged with every saint and prophet slain across the empire because she ordered, consented to, or encouraged their deaths, making her fully accountable for all of them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that Babylon here stands for the entire faithless church of both the Old and New Testaments, not merely a single city or institution. Her downfall is traced to three causes: worldly wealth from unholy spiritual commerce, deceptive sorceries, and persecution of both Old Testament prophets and New Testament saints.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes between the heavenly vision of Babylon as a hideous harlot and the earthly picture of her as a self-satisfied queen. He sees the judgment unfolding in a series of acts, from the angel's proclamation and the exodus of God's people to the final symbolic act of casting a millstone into the sea, representing the complete and sudden ruin of the apostate city.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that Rome, not ancient Jerusalem, bears the greatest guilt for the blood of martyrs. He claims papal Rome multiplied the bloodshed from the heathen emperors, and that its orders caused the massacre of millions of Protestants, especially through the Inquisition and the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre.