Revelation 18:20

The Rejoicing over them in Heaven, Revelation 18:20-24

20. Rejoice over her Revelation 12:12. There may be a reminiscence of Jeremiah 51:48. We cannot tell if the words are those of the angel of Revelation 18:1, of the voice of Revelation 18:4, or of the seer himself: perhaps the second is most likely.

holy apostles and prophets Read, the saints and the apostles and the prophets.

avenged you Lit., judged your judgement, condemned her for her condemnation of you. Notice the mention of "apostles" as well as other "saints," as proving that apostles suffered in Rome; and so confirming the unanimous tradition as to the martyrdom there of SS. Peter and Paul. Notice also (in reference to the theory mentioned on Revelation 2:2) St John's recognition of the latter as an apostle. Whether he had himself been condemned to death at Rome cannot be determined: the tradition to that effect was ancient, but not demonstrably soancient, nor so wide-spread or so confirmed by scriptural evidence (see on St John's Gospel John 21:18-19).