Translation
For all the nations have drunk of the wine
of the wrath
of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have accumulated more
Go to footnote numberby the power of her sensuality.”
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
For all people have willingly received in themselves the intoxicating power as well as the harsh punishment of her lewdness,
and the rulers of many people have participated in lewdness
with her, and the
merchants of the earth have
accumulated more [lasciviousness] due to her sensual influence.”
Footnotes
1
The word here has a basic meaning of “to accumulate” and is therefore often translated in ways that refer to wealth, but can also be an accumulation of other things. In Revelation 3:17-18 the letter to the church at Laodicea uses this same word for riches in both a material and a spiritual sense. Here in 18:3 most translators render it as “enriched” or something similar. However, it is quite possible that what they have accumulated is not financial riches, but rather is an accumulation of lasciviousness, immorality and lewdness. I think the latter explanation fits the context better than material wealth.
2: “sensuality”
The word used here has a basic meaning of “something excessive” and is usually seen to refer to an excess of either “luxury” or “sensuality.” Either this verse indicates that the merchants gained more material wealth because of her excessive material wealth (luxury), or that they became more sexually immoral because of her excessive sensuality. The first part of the verse uses the phrase “sexual immorality” for each of the first two groups, therefore, if the third group can also fit that same pattern it is wisest to interpret it as such instead of changing direction.