Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 The word from the LORD of heavenly forces came to me:
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The word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:
2 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: I care passionately about Zion; I burn with passion for her.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.
3 The LORD proclaims: I have returned to Zion; I will settle in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the city of truth; the mountain of the LORD of heavenly forces will be the holy mountain.
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Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts shall be called the holy mountain.
4 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Old men and old women will again dwell in the plazas of Jerusalem. Each of them will have a staff in their hand because of their great age.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age.
5 The city will be full of boys and girls playing in its plazas.
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And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.
6 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Even though it may seem to be a miracle for the few remaining among this people in these days, should it seem to be a miracle for me? says the LORD of heavenly forces.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the Lord of hosts?
7 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: I'm about to deliver my people from the land of the east and the land of the west.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;
8 I'll bring them back so they will dwell in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God—in truth and in righteousness.
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and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.
9 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Be strong, you who are now hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets spoken on the day when the foundations for the house of the LORD of heavenly forces were laid.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong—you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of hosts.
10 Before this time, there were no wages for people or animals; there was no relief from distress about going out or coming in, because I set everyone against their own neighbor.
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For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one another.
11 But now, unlike those earlier days, I'll be with the few remaining among this people, says the LORD of heavenly forces.
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But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts.
12 The seed is healthy: the vine will give its fruit. The land will give its produce; the heavens will give its dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things.
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For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
13 Just as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so now I will deliver you; you will be a blessing. Don't fear, but be strong.
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Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.
14 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Just as I planned evil against you when your ancestors angered me, says the LORD of heavenly forces, and did not relent,
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For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts,
15 so now I have changed course and again plan to do good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Don't be afraid.
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so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid.
16 These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to each other; make truthful, just, and peaceable decisions within your gates.
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These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace,
17 Don't plan evil for each other. Don't adore swearing falsely, for all of these are things that I hate, says the LORD.
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do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.
18 The word of the LORD of heavenly forces came to me:
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The word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying:
19 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, pleasant feasts for the house of Judah. Love truth and peace!
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah: therefore love truth and peace.
20 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: Peoples will still come, the inhabitants of many cities.
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, the inhabitants of many cities;
21 The inhabitants of one city will go to another saying, "Let's go and seek the favor of the LORD, and look for the LORD of heavenly forces. I'm going too."
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the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, "Come, let us go to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going."
22 Many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of heavenly forces in Jerusalem and to seek the favor of the LORD.
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Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord.
23 The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: In those days ten men from nations with entirely different languages will grab hold of a Judean's clothes and say, "Let's go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
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.