New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 And again I looked up and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze.
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And again lifting up my eyes I saw four war-carriages coming out from between the two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2 The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses,
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In the first war-carriage were red horses; and in the second, black horses;
3 the third chariot white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled gray horses.
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And in the third, white horses; and in the fourth, horses of mixed colour.
4 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
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And I made answer and said to the angel who was talking to me, What are these, my lord?
5 The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of heaven going out, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
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And the angel, answering, said to me, These go out to the four winds of heaven from their place before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go toward the west country, and the dappled ones go toward the south country."
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The carriage in which are the black horses goes in the direction of the north country; the white go to the west; and those of mixed colour go in the direction of the south country.
7 When the steeds came out, they were impatient to get off and patrol the earth. And he said, "Go, patrol the earth." So they patrolled the earth.
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And the red ones go to the east; and they made request that they might go up and down through the earth: and he said, Go up and down through the earth. So they went up and down through the earth.
8 Then he cried out to me, "Lo, those who go toward the north country have set my spirit at rest in the north country."
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Then crying out to me, he said, See, those who are going to the north country have given rest to the spirit of the Lord in the north country.
9 The word of the Lord came to me:
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And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
10 Collect silver and gold from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah—who have arrived from Babylon; and go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.
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Take the offerings of those who went away as prisoners, from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, and from the family of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah, who have come from Babylon;
11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak;
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And take silver and gold and make a crown and put it on the head of Zerubbabel;
12 say to him: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Here is a man whose name is Branch: for he shall branch out in his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.
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And say to him, These are the words of the Lord of armies: See, the man whose name is the Branch, under whom there will be fertile growth.
13 It is he that shall build the temple of the Lord; he shall bear royal honor, and shall sit upon his throne and rule. There shall be a priest by his throne, with peaceful understanding between the two of them.
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And he will be the builder of the Temple of the Lord; and the glory will be his, and he will take his place as ruler on the seat of power; and Joshua will be a priest at his right hand, and between them there will be a design of peace.
14 And the crown shall be in the care of Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiah son of Zephaniah, as a memorial in the temple of the Lord.
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And the crown will be for grace to Heldai and Tobijah and Jedaiah and the son of Zephaniah, to keep their memory living in the house of the Lord.
15 Those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord; and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.
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And those who are far away will come and be builders in the Temple of the Lord, and it will be clear to you that the Lord of armies has sent me to you.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.