The Firewall

Luke 1

Luke 1

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,  2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. 

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.  6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.  7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. 

8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,  9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.  11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.  12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.  13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.  14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,  15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.  16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.  17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."  18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."  19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.  20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."  21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.  22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.  23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 

24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.  25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." 

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.  28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."  29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."  34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"  35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 

36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.  37 For nothing is impossible with God."  38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. 

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,  40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.  41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"  46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord  47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,  48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,  49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.  50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful  55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."  56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. 

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.  58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.  59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,  60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."  61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."  62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.  63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."  64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.  65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.  66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. 

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:  68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.  69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David  70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),  71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--  72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,  73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:  74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear  75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.  76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,  77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,  78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven  79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."  80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel. 

An Introduction to the Book of Luke

An Introduction to the Book of Luke

The book of Luke is one of the four Gospels (word meaning “good news”) which tell the story of Jesus Christ on the earth.  Luke was a doctor (making him well-educated), and a Gentile (he was not of Jewish descent) that had converted to Christianity.  His Gospel was not a first-hand account, as Luke was a traveling partner of Paul and undoubtedly received most of his information from first-hand sources.  Like the book of Matthew, this book uses Mark’s Gospel as its template.  To the modern-day reader this would seem like plagiarism, but in its time this was a way of proving the material to be true.  Each of the Gospels has a different focus, and Luke places his focus on Jesus’ compassion for the marginalized members of society, particularly the poor and needy.  Luke also wrote the book of Acts, and intended the two books to be considered a single work. 

Titus 3

Titus 3

1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.  3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,  6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,  7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 

8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.  9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.  10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.  11 You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. 

12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.  13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.  14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. 

15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. 

Titus 2

Titus 2

1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.  2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.  3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,  5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.  6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.  7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness  8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.  9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,  10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,  13 while we wait for the blessed hope-- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. 

Titus 1

Titus 1

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness--  2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,  3 and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, 

4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 

5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.  6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  7 Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless-- not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.  8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.  10 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group.  11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach-- and that for the sake of dishonest gain.  12 Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons."  13 This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith  14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.  15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.  16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Revelation 22

Revelation 22

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb  2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.  4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. 

6 The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place." 

7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." 

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.  9 But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" 

10 Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.  11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy." 

12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.  13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 

14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.  15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 

16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." 

17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. 

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.  19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 

20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.

Revelation 21

Revelation 21

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 

5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."  6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.  7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." 

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."  10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.  11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.  12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.  13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.  14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.  16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.  17 He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using.  18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.  19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,  20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.  21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. 

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.  26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.  27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. 

Revelation 20

Revelation 20

1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.  2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.  3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.  6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. 

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison  8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth-- Gog and Magog-- to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.  9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.  10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.  13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.  14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.  15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 

Revelation 19

Revelation 19

1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,  2 for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."  3 And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." 

4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!" 

5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!" 

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.  7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 

9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."  10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.  12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.  13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God,  18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."  19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.  20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. 

Revelation 18

Revelation 18

1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.  2 With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.  3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." 

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;  5 for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.  6 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup.  7 Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'  8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 

9 "When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.  10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!' 

11 "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more--  12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;  13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. 

14 "They will say, 'The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.' 

15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn  16 and cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!  17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!'

"Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.  18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?'  19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!  20 Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.'" 

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.  22 The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again.  23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.  24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth."