New International Version NIV
Common English Bible CEB
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand—
1
Blow the horn in Zion; give a shout on my holy mountain! Let all the people of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is near—
2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
2
a day of darkness and no light, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread out upon the mountains, a great and powerful army comes, unlike any that has ever come before them, or will come after them in centuries ahead.
3 Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste— nothing escapes them.
3
In front of them a fire consumes; and behind them a flame burns. Land ahead of them is like Eden's garden, but they leave behind them a barren wasteland; nothing escapes them.
4 They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
4
They resemble horses, and like warhorses they charge,
5 With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
5
like the rumbling of chariots. They leap on the mountaintops— like the crackling of a fire's flame, devouring the stubble; like a powerful army ready for battle.
6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
6
In their presence, peoples shake with fear; all faces turn red with worry.
7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
7
Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they climb the wall. Each keeps to their own path; they didn't change their course.
8 They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
8
They don't crowd each other; each keeps to their own path. Even if they fall among the weapons, they won't stop.
9 They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
9
They rush upon the city; they run upon the walls. They climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves.
10 Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
10
The earth quakes before them; the heavens shake. The sun and the moon are darkened; the stars have stopped shining,
11 The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
11
because the LORD utters his voice at the head of his army. How numerous are his troops! Mighty are those who obey his word. The day of the LORD is great; it stirs up great fear—who can endure it?
12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
12
Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow;
13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
13
tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
14
Who knows whether he will have a change of heart and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
15
Blow the horn in Zion; demand a fast; request a special assembly.
16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
16
Gather the people; prepare a holy meeting; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the groom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”
17
Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the LORD's ministers, weep. Let them say, "Have mercy, LORD, on your people, and don't make your inheritance a disgrace, an example of failure among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?'"
18 Then the LORD was jealous for his land and took pity on his people.
18
Then the LORD became passionate about this land, and had pity on his people.
19 The LORD replied to them: “I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.
19
The LORD responded to the people: See, I am sending you the corn, new wine, and fresh oil, and you will be fully satisfied by it; and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.
20 “I will drive the northern horde far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land; its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things!
20
I will remove the northern army far from you and drive it into a dried-up and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its rear into the western sea. Its stench will rise up; its stink will come to the surface. The LORD is about to do great things!
21 Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things!
21
Don't fear, fertile land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD is about to do great things!
22 Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
22
Don't be afraid, animals of the field, for the meadows of the wilderness will turn green; the tree will bear its fruit; the fig tree and grapevine will give their full yield.
23 Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
23
Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, because he will give you the early rain as a sign of righteousness; he will pour down abundant rain for you, the early and the late rain, as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
24
The threshing floors will be full of grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil.
25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you.
25
I will repay you for the years that the cutting locust, the swarming locust, the hopping locust, and the devouring locust have eaten— my great army, which I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.
26
You will eat abundantly and be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has done wonders for you; and my people will never again be put to shame.
27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.
27
You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God—no other exists; never again will my people be put to shame.
28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
28
After that I will pour out my spirit upon everyone; your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
29
In those days, I will also pour out my spirit on the male and female slaves.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
30
I will give signs in the heavens and on the earth—blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
31
The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.
32 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
32
But everyone who calls on the LORD's name will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be security, as the LORD has promised; and in Jerusalem, the LORD will summon those who survive.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible