| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The word of the LORD of Armies came: | 1Then another message came to me from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: |
| 2The LORD of Armies says this: "I am extremely jealous for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath." | 2“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem! |
| 3The LORD says this: "I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD of Armies will be called the Holy Mountain." | 3“And now the LORD says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain. |
| 4The LORD of Armies says this: "Old men and women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of advanced age. | 4“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. |
| 5The streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in them." | 5And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play. |
| 6The LORD of Armies says this: "Though it may seem impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible to me?"--this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies. | 6“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 7The LORD of Armies says this: "I will save my people from the land of the east and the land of the west. | 7“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. |
| 8I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God." | 8I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God. |
| 9The LORD of Armies says this: "Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words that the prophets spoke when the foundations were laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the LORD of Armies. | 9“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building. |
| 10For prior to those days neither man nor animal had wages. There was no safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I turned everyone against his neighbor. | 10Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other. |
| 11But now, I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days"--this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies. | 11“But now I will not treat the remnant of my people as I treated them before, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 12"For they will sow in peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the skies will yield their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things as an inheritance. | 12For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. |
| 13As you have been a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Don't be afraid; let your hands be strong." | 13Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple! |
| 14For the LORD of Armies says this: "As I resolved to treat you badly when your fathers provoked me to anger, and I did not relent," says the LORD of Armies, | 14“For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 15"so I have resolved again in these days to do what is good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Don't be afraid. | 15But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. |
| 16These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your city gates. | 16But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. |
| 17Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this"--this is the LORD's declaration. | 17Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the LORD.” |
| 18Then the word of the LORD of Armies came to me: | 18Here is another message that came to me from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 19"The LORD of Armies says this: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace." | 19“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace. |
| 20The LORD of Armies says this: "Peoples will yet come, the residents of many cities; | 20“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. |
| 21the residents of one city will go to another, saying: Let's go at once to plead for the LORD's favor and to seek the LORD of Armies. I am also going. | 21The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the LORD to bless us. Let’s worship the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ |
| 22Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to plead for the LORD's favor." | 22Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. |
| 23The LORD of Armies says this: "In those days, ten men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." | 23“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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