| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1This is the prophetic message that the LORD gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah: | 1The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. |
| 2"I will destroy everything from the face of the earth," says the LORD. | 2“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. |
| 3"I will destroy people and animals; I will destroy the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea. (The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people.) I will remove humanity from the face of the earth," says the LORD. | 3“I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. |
| 4"I will attack Judah and all who live in Jerusalem. I will remove from this place every trace of Baal worship, as well as the very memory of the pagan priests. | 4“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, |
| 5I will remove those who worship the stars in the sky from their rooftops, those who swear allegiance to the LORD while taking oaths in the name of their 'king,' | 5those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom, |
| 6and those who turn their backs on the LORD and do not want the LORD's help or guidance." | 6those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.” |
| 7Be silent before the Lord GOD, for the LORD's day of judgment is almost here. The LORD has prepared a sacrificial meal; he has ritually purified his guests. | 7Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. |
| 8"On the day of the LORD's sacrificial meal, I will punish the princes and the king's sons, and all who wear foreign styles of clothing. | 8And on the day of the LORD’s sacrifice— “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. |
| 9On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with wealth taken by violence and deceit. | 9On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud. |
| 10On that day," says the LORD, "a loud cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the city's newer district, and a loud crash from the hills. | 10“On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills. |
| 11Wail, you who live in the market district, for all the merchants will disappear and those who count money will be removed. | 11Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off. |
| 12At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, those who think to themselves, 'The LORD neither rewards nor punishes.' | 12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ |
| 13Their wealth will be stolen and their houses ruined! They will not live in the houses they have built, nor will they drink the wine from the vineyards they have planted. | 13Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.” |
| 14The LORD's great day of judgment is almost here; it is approaching very rapidly! There will be a bitter sound on the LORD's day of judgment; at that time warriors will cry out in battle. | 14The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. |
| 15That day will be a day of God's anger, a day of distress and hardship, a day of devastation and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dark skies, | 15A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, |
| 16a day of trumpet blasts and battle cries. Judgment will fall on the fortified cities and the high corner towers. | 16a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. |
| 17I will bring distress on the people and they will stumble like blind men, for they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dirt; their flesh will be scattered like manure. | 17I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. |
| 18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's angry judgment. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery wrath. Indeed, he will bring terrifying destruction on all who live on the earth." | 18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. |
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