| King James Bible | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; | 1Blow the horn in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; in fact, it is near-- |
| 2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. | 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come. |
| 3A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. | 3A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. |
| 4The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. | 4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses. |
| 5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. | 5They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war. |
| 6Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. | 6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale. |
| 7They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: | 7They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course. |
| 8Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. | 8They do not push each other; each proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping. |
| 9They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. | 9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves. |
| 10The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: | 10The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining. |
| 11And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? | 11The LORD makes his voice heard in the presence of his army. His camp is very large; those who carry out his command are powerful. Indeed, the day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful--who can endure it? |
| 12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: | 12Even now--this is the LORD's declaration--turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. |
| 13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. | 13Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster. |
| 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? | 14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him, so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD your God. |
| 15Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: | 15Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. |
| 16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. | 16Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the infants, even babies nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber. |
| 17Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? | 17Let the priests, the LORD's ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say: "Have pity on your people, LORD, and do not make your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" |
| 18Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. | 18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and spared his people. |
| 19Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: | 19The LORD answered his people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and fresh oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. |
| 20But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. | 20I will drive the northerner far from you and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, for he has done astonishing things. |
| 21Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. | 21Don't be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done astonishing things. |
| 22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. | 22Don't be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches. |
| 23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. | 23Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, because he gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain as before. |
| 24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. | 24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil. |
| 25And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. | 25I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust--my great army that I sent against you. |
| 26And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. | 26You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. |
| 27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. | 27You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame. |
| 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: | 28After this I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. |
| 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. | 29I will even pour out my Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. |
| 30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. | 30I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. |
| 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. | 31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. |
| 32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. | 32Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD promised, among the survivors the LORD calls. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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