The Meaning of Revelation 18:14 Explained

Revelation 18:14

KJV: And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

YLT: And the fruits of the desire of thy soul did go away from thee, and all things -- the dainty and the bright -- did go away from thee, and no more at all mayest thou find them.

Darby: And the ripe fruits which were the lust of thy soul have departed from thee, and all fair and splendid things have perished from thee, and they shall not find them any more at all.

ASV: And the fruits which thy soul lusted after are gone from thee, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous are perished from thee, and men'shall find them no more at all.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the fruits  that thy  soul  lusted after  are departed  from  thee,  and  all things  which  were dainty  and  goodly  are departed  from  thee,  and  thou shalt find  them  no more  at all. 

What does Revelation 18:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The fruit (Gr. opora, lit. ripe autumn fruit) these merchants so desire is no longer available (cf. Jeremiah 40:10; Jeremiah 40:12; Jude 1:12). "Luxurious" and "splendid" refer to food and clothing respectively. [1] The merchants will also lose their luxurious possessions. People will not be able to find the treasures they once collected. The Greek construction of the last clause indicates that these things will never ever return. [2] There are two double negatives in the Greek text.

Context Summary

Revelation 18:14-24 - Fallen Like A Stone Into The Sea
This section delineates the utter desolation which will ensue when the judgments of God have finished their mission against professing but unfaithful Christendom. How near we are at the present hour to their fulfillment, we dare not say. But it often seems as if we are living in the last days of "the times of the Gentiles," and very near the fulfillment of all that is written in this book. It is the universal comment that all religious values are being altered. The church systems, as such, give signs that they are losing their hold on the vast masses of the people, while the heart of man cries out as eagerly as ever for the living God. We can only heed the Lord's command to watch, and see to it that we may be found of Him in peace, and standing patiently at our post. In the meantime events in the distant East are symptomatic of the fig tree putting forth her leaves. See Matthew 24:32. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 18

1  Babylon is fallen
4  People commanded to depart out of her
9  The kings of the earth, with the merchants and mariners, lament over her
20  The saints rejoice for the judgments of God upon her

Greek Commentary for Revelation 18:14

The fruits [η οπωρα]
The ripe autumn fruit (Jeremiah 40:10, Jeremiah 40:12). Here only in N.T. Of uncertain etymology (possibly οπος — opos sap, ωρα — hōra hour, time for juicy sap). See Judges 1:12 for δενδρα πτινοπωρινος — dendra phthinopōrinos (autumn trees). [source]
Which thy soul lusteth after [σου της επιτυμιας της πσυχης]
“Of the lusting of thy soul.”Are gone from thee (απηλτεν απο σου — apēlthen apo sou). Prophetic aorist active indicative of απερχομαι — aperchomai with repetition of απο — apo things that were dainty and sumptuous (παντα τα λιπαρα και τα λαμπρα — panta ta lipara kai ta lampra). “All the dainty and the gorgeous things.” Λιπαρος — Liparos is from λιπος — lipos (grease) and so fat, about food (here only in N.T.), while λαμπρος — lampros is bright and shining (James 2:2.), about clothing.Are perished from thee Prophetic second aorist middle indicative of απολλυμι — apollumi (intransitive).Shall find them no more at all (ουκετι ου μη αυτα ευρησουσιν — ouketi ou mē auta heurēsousin). Doubled double negative with future active, as emphatic a negation as the Greek can make. [source]
Are gone from thee [απηλτεν απο σου]
Prophetic aorist active indicative of απερχομαι — aperchomai with repetition of απο — apo things that were dainty and sumptuous “All the dainty and the gorgeous things.” Λιπαρος — Liparos is from λιπος — lipos (grease) and so fat, about food (here only in N.T.), while λαμπρος — lampros is bright and shining (James 2:2.), about clothing. [source]
Are perished from thee [απωλετο απο σου]
Prophetic second aorist middle indicative of απολλυμι — apollumi (intransitive).Shall find them no more at all (ουκετι ου μη αυτα ευρησουσιν — ouketi ou mē auta heurēsousin). Doubled double negative with future active, as emphatic a negation as the Greek can make. [source]
Shall find them no more at all [ουκετι ου μη αυτα ευρησουσιν]
Doubled double negative with future active, as emphatic a negation as the Greek can make. [source]
The fruits [ἡ ὀπώρα]
Originally, the late summer or early autumn; then, generally, used of the ripe fruits of trees. Only here in the New Testament. Compare the compound φθινοπωρινὰ autumn(trees). See on whose fruit withereth, Judges 1:12, and compare Summer-fruits, Jeremiah 40:10. [source]
That thy soul lusted after [τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ψυχῆς σοῦ]
Lit., of the desire of thy soul. [source]
Dainty [λιπαρὰ]
From λίπος greaseHence, literally, fat. Only here in the New Testament. Homer uses it once in the sense of oily or shiny with oil, as the skin anointed after a bath. “Their heads and their fair faces shining” (“Odyssey,” xv., 332). So Aristophanes (“Plutus,” 616), and of oily, unctuous dishes (“Frogs,” 163). Of the oily smoothness of a calm sea, as by Theocritus. The phrase λιπαροὶ πόδες shiningfeet, i.e., smooth, without wrinkle, is frequent in Homer. Thus, of Agamemnon rising from his bed. “Beneath his shining feet he bound the fair sandals” (“Iliad,” ii., 44). Also of the condition of life; rich, comfortable: so Homer, of a prosperous old age, “Odyssey,” xi., 136. Of things, bright, fresh. Of soil, fruitful. The city of Athens was called λιπαραὶ , a favorite epithet. Aristophanes plays upon the two senses bright and greasy, saying that if any one flatteringly calls Athens bright, he attaches to it the honor of sardines - oiliness (“Acharnians,” 638,9). [source]
Goodly [λαμπρὰ]
A too indefinite rendering. Better, Rev., sumptuous. See on Luke 23:11; see on James 2:2. Mostly in the New Testament of clothing. See on Revelation 15:6. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 18:14

1 John 2:16 Of the flesh []
Sensual appetite. The desire which resides in the flesh, not the desire for the flesh. For this subjective usage of the genitive with lust, see John 8:44; Romans 1:24; Revelation 18:14. Compare 1 Peter 2:11; Titus 2:12. The lust of the flesh involves the appropriation of the desired object. On the flesh, see on John 1:14. [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 18:14 mean?

And the ripe fruit of you of the desire soul are departed from you all the sumptuous things splendid things have departed no longer no not them they will find
Καὶ ὀπώρα σου τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ψυχῆς ἀπῆλθεν ἀπὸ σοῦ πάντα τὰ λιπαρὰ λαμπρὰ ἀπώλετο οὐκέτι οὐ μὴ αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν

ὀπώρα  ripe  fruit 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ὀπώρα  
Sense: the season which succeeds summer, from the rising of Sirius to that of Arcturus, i.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐπιθυμίας  desire 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἐπιθυμία  
Sense: desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust.
ψυχῆς  soul 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ψυχή  
Sense: breath.
ἀπῆλθεν  are  departed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπέρχομαι  
Sense: to go away, depart.
λιπαρὰ  sumptuous  things 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: λιπαρός  
Sense: things which pertain to a sumptuous and delicate style of living.
λαμπρὰ  splendid  things 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: λαμπρός  
Sense: shining.
ἀπώλετο  have  departed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπόλλυμι  
Sense: to destroy.
οὐκέτι  no  longer 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐκέτι  
Sense: no longer, no more, no further.
οὐ  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
εὑρήσουσιν  they  will  find 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εὑρίσκω  
Sense: to come upon, hit upon, to meet with.