Babylon Βαβυλῶν, Babulō̇n, is used in New Testament in at least two different senses:
In Matthew 1:11-12, 17; Acts 7:43 the old Mesop city is plainly meant. These all refer to the captivity in Babylon and do not demand any further discussion.
All the references to Babylon in Revelation are evidently symbolic. Some of the most important passages are Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 18:10, 18:21. In Revelation 17:5 Babylon is designated as mustḗrioň. This undoubtedly in dicates that the name is to be under stood figuratively. A few interpreters have believed that Jerusalem was the city that was designated as Babylon, but most scholars hold that Rome was the city that was meant. That interpretation goes back at least to the time of Tertullian (Adv. Marc., iii. 13). This interpretation was adopted by Jerome and Augustine and has been commonly accepted by the church. There are some striking facts which point to Rome as the city that is designated as Babylon.
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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Babylon in the New Testament, Babylon, Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great, Great Babylon, seven mountains, persecutor of the saints
Bible reference(s): Mat 1:11-12, Mat 1:17, Act 7:43, 1 Peter 5:13, Rev 17:18, Rev 17:9, Rev 18:2-3, Rev 18:10-13, Rev 17:2, Rev 18:3, Rev 19:2, Rev 17:6, Rev 14:8
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.