New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 In the last days the mountain on which the Lord's Temple stands will become the most important of all mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and people from other nations will come streaming to it.
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In days to come the mountain where the Temple stands will be the highest one of all, towering above all the hills. Many nations will come streaming to it,
2 Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob, so that he can teach us his ways, and we can obey his teachings." His teachings will go out from Jerusalem, the word of the Lord from that city.
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and their people will say, "Let us go up the hill of the Lord, to the Temple of Israel's God. He will teach us what he wants us to do; we will walk in the paths he has chosen. For the Lord's teaching comes from Jerusalem; from Zion he speaks to his people."
3 The Lord will judge many nations; he will make decisions about strong nations that are far away. They will hammer their swords into plow blades and their spears into hooks for trimming trees. Nations will no longer raise swords against other nations; they will not train for war anymore.
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He will settle disputes among the nations, among the great powers near and far. They will hammer their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nations will never again go to war, never prepare for battle again.
4 Everyone will sit under his own vine and fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, because the Lord All-Powerful has said it.
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Everyone will live in peace among their own vineyards and fig trees, and no one will make them afraid. The Lord Almighty has promised this.
5 All other nations may follow their own gods, but we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.
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Each nation worships and obeys its own god, but we will worship and obey the Lord our God forever and ever.
6 The Lord says, "At that time, I will gather the crippled; I will bring together those who were sent away, those whom I caused to have trouble.
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"The time is coming," says the Lord, "when I will gather together the people I punished, those who have suffered in exile.
7 I will keep alive those who were crippled, and I will make a strong nation of those who were sent away. The Lord will be their king in Mount Zion from now on and forever.
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They are crippled and far from home, but I will make a new beginning with those who are left, and they will become a great nation. I will rule over them on Mount Zion from that time on and forever."
8 And you, watchtower of the flocks, hill of Jerusalem, to you will come the kingdom as in the past. Jerusalem, the right to rule will come again to you."
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And you, Jerusalem, where God, like a shepherd from his lookout tower, watches over his people, will once again be the capital of the kingdom that was yours.
9 Now, why do you cry so loudly? Is your king gone? Have you lost your helper, so that you are in pain, like a woman trying to give birth?
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Why do you cry out so loudly? Why are you suffering like a woman in labor? Is it because you have no king, and your counselors are dead?
10 People of Jerusalem, strain and be in pain. Be like a woman trying to give birth, because now you must leave the city and live in the field. You will go to Babylon, but you will be saved from that place. and buy you back from your enemies.
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Twist and groan, people of Jerusalem, like a woman giving birth, for now you will have to leave the city and live in the open country. You will have to go to Babylon, but there the Lord will save you from your enemies.
11 But now many nations have come to fight against you, saying, "Let's destroy Jerusalem. We will look at her and be glad we have defeated her."
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Many nations have gathered to attack you. They say, "Jerusalem must be destroyed! We will see this city in ruins!"
12 But they don't know what the Lord is thinking; they don't understand his plan. He has gathered them like bundles of grain to the threshing floor.
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But these nations do not know what is in the Lord's mind. They do not realize that they have been gathered together to be punished in the same way that grain is brought in to be threshed.
13 "Get up and beat them, people of Jerusalem. I will make you strong as if you had horns of iron and hoofs of bronze. You will beat many nations into small pieces and give their wealth to the Lord, their treasure to the Lord of all the earth."
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The Lord says, "People of Jerusalem, go and punish your enemies! I will make you as strong as a bull with iron horns and bronze hoofs. You will crush many nations, and the wealth they got by violence you will present to me, the Lord of the whole world."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.