Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 The Lord Almighty gave this message to Zechariah:
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The word of Yahweh of Hosts came to me.
2 "I have longed to help Jerusalem because of my deep love for her people, a love which has made me angry with her enemies.
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath."
3 I will return to Jerusalem, my holy city, and live there. It will be known as the faithful city, and the hill of the Lord Almighty will be called the sacred hill.
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Thus says Yahweh: "I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called 'The City of Truth;' and the mountain of Yahweh of Hosts, 'The Holy Mountain.'"
4 Once again old men and women, so old that they use canes when they walk, will be sitting in the city squares.
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 And the streets will again be full of boys and girls playing.
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The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets."
6 "This may seem impossible to those of the nation who are now left, but it's not impossible for me.
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?" says Yahweh of Hosts.
7 I will rescue my people from the lands where they have been taken,
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
8 and will bring them back from east and west to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, ruling over them faithfully and justly.
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and I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness."
9 "Have courage! You are now hearing the same words the prophets spoke at the time the foundation was being laid for rebuilding my Temple.
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of Hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.
10 Before that time no one could afford to hire either men or animals, and no one was safe from enemies. I turned people against one another.
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For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.
11 But now I am treating the survivors of this nation differently.
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But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days," says Yahweh of Hosts.
12 They will plant their crops in peace. Their vines will bear grapes, the earth will produce crops, and there will be plenty of rain. I will give all these blessings to the people of my nation who survive.
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"For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
13 People of Judah and Israel! In the past foreigners have cursed one another by saying, "May the same disasters fall on you that fell on Judah and Israel!' But I will save you, and then those foreigners will say to one another, "May you receive the same blessings that came to Judah and Israel!' So have courage and don't be afraid."
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It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don't be afraid. Let your hands be strong."
14 The Lord Almighty says, "When your ancestors made me angry, I planned disaster for them and did not change my mind, but carried out my plans.
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For thus says Yahweh of hosts: "As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath," says Yahweh of Hosts, "and I didn't repent;
15 But now I am planning to bless the people of Jerusalem and Judah. So don't be afraid.
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so again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don't be afraid.
16 These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another. In the courts give real justice - the kind that brings peace.
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These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,
17 Do not plan ways of harming one another. Do not give false testimony under oath. I hate lying, injustice, and violence."
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and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate," says Yahweh.
18 The Lord Almighty gave this message to Zechariah:
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The word of Yahweh of Hosts came to me.
19 "The fasts held in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become festivals of joy and gladness for the people of Judah. You must love truth and peace."
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "The fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace."
20 The Lord Almighty says, "The time is coming when people from many cities will come to Jerusalem.
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;
21 Those from one city will say to those from another, "We are going to worship the Lord Almighty and pray for his blessing. Come with us!'
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and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of Hosts. I will go also.'
22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord Almighty and to pray for his blessing.
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Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Yahweh."
23 In those days ten foreigners will come to one Jew and say, "We want to share in your destiny, because we have heard that God is with you.' "
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Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.