Parallel Bible results for "Zechariah 1"

Zechariah 1

The Message Bible MSG

1 In the eighth month of the second year in the reign of Darius, God's Message came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:

2 "God was very angry with your ancestors.

3 So give to the people this Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: 'Come back to me and I'll come back to you.

4 Don't be like your parents. The old-time prophets called out to them, "A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: Leave your evil life. Quit your evil practices." But they ignored everything I said to them, stubbornly refused to listen.'

5 "And where are your ancestors now? Dead and buried. And the prophets who preached to them? Also dead and buried. But the Message that my servants the prophets spoke, that isn't dead and buried.

6 That Message did its work on your ancestors, did it not? It woke them up and they came back, saying, 'He did what he said he would do, sure enough. We didn't get by with a thing.'" First Vision: Four Riders

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month in the second year of the reign of Darius, the Message of God was given to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:

8 One night I looked out and saw a man astride a red horse. He was in the shadows in a grove of birches. Behind him were more horses - a red, a chestnut, and a white.

9 I said, "Sir, what are these horses doing here? What's the meaning of this?" The Angel-Messenger said, "Let me show you."

10 Then the rider in the birch grove spoke up, "These are the riders that God sent to check things out on earth."

11 They reported their findings to the Angel of God in the birch grove: "We have looked over the whole earth and all is well. Everything's under control."

12 The Angel of God reported back, "O God-of-the-Angel-Armies, how long are you going to stay angry with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? When are you going to let up? Isn't seventy years long enough?"

13 God reassured the Angel-Messenger - good words, comforting words -

14 who then addressed me: "Tell them this. Tell them that God-of-the-Angel-Armies has spoken. This is God's Message: 'I care deeply for Jerusalem and Zion. I feel very possessive of them.

15 But I'm thoroughly angry with the godless nations that act as if they own the whole world. I was only moderately angry earlier, but now they've gone too far. I'm going into action.

16 "'I've come back to Jerusalem, but with compassion this time.' This is God speaking. 'I'll see to it that my Temple is rebuilt.' A Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies! 'The rebuilding operation is already staked out.'

17 Say it again - a Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies: 'My cities will prosper again, God will comfort Zion again, Jerusalem will be back in my favor again.'" Second Vision: Four Horns and Four Blacksmiths

18 I looked up, and was surprised by another vision: four horns!

19 I asked the Messenger-Angel, "And what's the meaning of this?" He said, "These are the powers that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem abroad."

20 Then God expanded the vision to include four blacksmiths.

21 I asked, "And what are these all about?" He said, "Since the 'horns' scattered Judah so badly that no one had any hope left, these blacksmiths have arrived to combat the horns. They'll dehorn the godless nations who used their horns to scatter Judah to the four winds."

New Living Translation NLT

1 In November of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo:

2 “I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors.

3 Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’

4 Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’

5 “Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead.

6 But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’”

7 Three months later, on February 15, the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo.

8 In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were riders on red, brown, and white horses.

9 I asked the angel who was talking with me, “My lord, what do these horses mean?” “I will show you,” the angel replied.

10 The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth.”

11 Then the other riders reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.”

12 Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD prayed this prayer: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long until you again show mercy to them?”

13 And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

14 Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.

15 But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.

16 “‘Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. ’

17 “Say this also: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.’”

18 Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.

19 “What are these?” I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, “These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

20 Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths.

21 “What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “These four horns—these nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them.”