King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
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The Lord Almighty gave this message to Zechariah:
2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.
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"I have longed to help Jerusalem because of my deep love for her people, a love which has made me angry with her enemies.
3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
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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.
4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
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Once again old men and women, so old that they use canes when they walk, will be sitting in the city squares.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
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And the streets will again be full of boys and girls playing.
6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.
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"This may seem impossible to those of the nation who are now left, but it's not impossible for me.
7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
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I will rescue my people from the lands where they have been taken,
8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
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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.
9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
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"Have courage! You are now hearing the same words the prophets spoke at the time the foundation was being laid for rebuilding my Temple.
10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
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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.
11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.
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But now I am treating the survivors of this nation differently.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
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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.
13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
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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."
14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:
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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.
15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
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But now I am planning to bless the people of Jerusalem and Judah. So don't be afraid.
16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
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These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another. In the courts give real justice - the kind that brings peace.
17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
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Do not plan ways of harming one another. Do not give false testimony under oath. I hate lying, injustice, and violence."
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,
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The Lord Almighty gave this message to Zechariah:
19 Thus saith 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 to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
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"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."
20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
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The Lord Almighty says, "The time is coming when people from many cities will come to Jerusalem.
21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.
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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!'
22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
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Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord Almighty and to pray for his blessing.
23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
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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.' "
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.