Revelation 18:6
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
Study Note
Study Note
The call to 'reward her as she rewarded you, and double to her double according to her works' invokes the lex talionis in its eschatological form: Babylon's punishment corresponds precisely to the suffering she inflicted. The 'double portion' may echo Jeremiah 16:18, where God promises to repay Israel's sin 'double,' or Isaiah 40:2, where Israel has 'received double for all her sins' — now applied to Babylon. The verse raises complex questions about divine retribution, but within Revelation's symbolic framework 'Babylon' represents any totalizing political system that persecutes God's people and claims ultimate loyalty. The image of mixing a double portion in her cup (18:6b) mirrors the cup of wrath imagery in Jeremiah 25:15-17 and Habakkuk 2:15-16.
Other Translations
Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double.
Render to her as also she did render to you, and double to her doubles according to her works; in the cup that she did mingle mingle to her double.
Give to her as she gave, even an increased reward for her works; in the cup which was mixed by her, let there be mixed as much again for herself.
Cross References
And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served …
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for …
For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land …
And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled …
Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not …
Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for …
Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof …
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done …