The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 I looked up and was surprised to see a man holding a tape measure in his hand.
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I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
2 I said, "What are you up to?" "I'm on my way," he said, "to survey Jerusalem, to measure its width and length."
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Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
3 Just then the Messenger-Angel on his way out
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And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,
4 and said, "Run! Tell the Surveyor, 'Jerusalem will burst its walls - bursting with people, bursting with animals.
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And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:
5 And I'll be right there with her' - God's Decree - 'a wall of fire around unwalled Jerusalem and a radiant presence within.'"
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For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
6 "Up on your feet! Get out of there - and now!" God says so. "Return from your far exile. I scattered you to the four winds." God's Decree.
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Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.
7 "Escape from Babylon, Zion, and come home - now!"
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Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
8 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the One of Glory who sent me on my mission, commenting on the godless nations who stripped you and left you homeless, said, "Anyone who hits you, hits me - bloodies my nose, blackens my eye.
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For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
9 Yes, and at the right time I'll give the signal and they'll be stripped and thrown out by their own servants." Then you'll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission.
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For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.
10 "Shout and celebrate, Daughter of Zion! I'm on my way. I'm moving into your neighborhood!" God's Decree.
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Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
11 Many godless nations will be linked up with God at that time. ("They will become my family! I'll live in their homes!") And then you'll know for sure that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission.
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And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
12 God will reclaim his Judah inheritance in the Holy Land. He'll again make clear that Jerusalem is his choice.
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And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
13 Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something's afoot in his holy house. He's on the move!
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Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The King James Version is in the public domain.