Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
1
The LORD of Armies spoke his word.
2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: I am very jealous about Zion. I am fiercely possessive of it.
3 Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.
3
This is what the LORD says: I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth. The mountain of the LORD of Armies will be called the holy mountain.
4 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand for very age.
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. Each will have a cane in hand because of old age.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.
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The city will be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets.
6 Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, says the LORD of hosts?
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: It may seem impossible to the few remaining people in those days, but will it seem impossible to me? declares the LORD of Armies.
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: I am going to save my people from the land where the sun rises and from the land where the sun sets.
8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."
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I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, who is faithful and just.
9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets, since 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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This is what the LORD of Armies says: Be strong so that the temple might be rebuilt, you people who are presently listening to the words from the mouths of the prophets who spoke when the foundation for the house of the LORD of Armies was laid.
10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his fellow.
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Before that time there was no money to hire any person or animal. No one who traveled was safe from the enemy. I turned every person against his neighbor.
11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts.
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But now I won't deal with the few remaining people as I did in earlier times, declares the LORD of Armies.
12 For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, and the ground shall give its 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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Seeds will thrive in peacetime. Vines will produce their grapes. The land will yield its crops. The sky will produce its dew. I will give the few remaining people all these things as an inheritance.
13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong."
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Just as you, people of Judah and people of Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will now save you, and you will become a blessing. Don't be afraid. Let your hands work hard.
14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I purposed to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts,
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: When your ancestors made me angry, I made plans to destroy you, declares the LORD of Armies, and I didn't change my plans.
15 so again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.
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So now I have again made plans, but this time to do good to Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Don't be afraid.
16 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,
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You must do these things: Speak the truth to each other. Give correct and fair verdicts for peace in your courts.
17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the LORD."
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Don't even think of doing evil to each other. Don't enjoy false testimony. I hate all these things, declares the LORD.
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
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The LORD of Armies spoke his word to me again.
19 "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 to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: The fast in the fourth month, the fast in the fifth month, the fast in the seventh month, and the fast in the tenth month will become joyful and glad occasions as well as happy festivals for the nation of Judah. So love truth and peace.
20 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities;
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This is what the LORD of Armies says: People and citizens from many cities are going to come.
21 the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I am going.'
21
The citizens of one city will come to another city, saying, "Let's make a habit of going to ask the LORD for a blessing and to seek the LORD of Armies. I'm also going."
22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD.
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Many people and powerful nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to ask the LORD for a blessing.
23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
23
This is what the LORD of Armies says: In those days ten people from every language found among the nations will take hold of the clothes of a Jew. They will say, "Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.