| New Living Translation | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1In November of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo: | 1In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: |
| 2“I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. | 2"The LORD was extremely angry with your ancestors. |
| 3Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’ | 3So tell the people, 'This is what the LORD of Armies says: Return to me--this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies--and I will return to you, says the LORD of Armies. |
| 4Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’ | 4Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them: This is what the LORD of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they did not listen or pay attention to me--this is the LORD's declaration. |
| 5“Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead. | 5Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? |
| 6But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’” A Man among the Myrtle Trees | 6But didn't my words and my statutes that I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors?'" So the people repented and said, "As the LORD of Armies decided to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so he has dealt with us." |
| 7Three months later, on February 15, the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. | 7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: |
| 8In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were riders on red, brown, and white horses. | 8I looked out in the night and saw a man riding on a chestnut horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley. Behind him were chestnut, brown, and white horses. |
| 9I asked the angel who was talking with me, “My lord, what do these horses mean?” “I will show you,” the angel replied. | 9I asked, "What are these, my lord?" The angel who was talking to me replied, "I will show you what they are." |
| 10The rider standing among the myrtle trees then explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth.” | 10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth." |
| 11Then the other riders reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the earth, and the whole earth is at peace.” | 11They reported to the angel of the LORD standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth, and right now the whole earth is calm and quiet." |
| 12Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD prayed this prayer: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long until you again show mercy to them?” | 12Then the angel of the LORD responded, "How long, LORD of Armies, will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that you have been angry with these seventy years?" |
| 13And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. | 13The LORD replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. |
| 14Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. | 14So the angel who was speaking with me said, "Proclaim: The LORD of Armies says: I am extremely jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. |
| 15But I am very angry with the other nations that are now enjoying peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions. | 15I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made the destruction worse. |
| 16“‘Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. ’ | 16Therefore, this is what the LORD says: In mercy, I have returned to Jerusalem; my house will be rebuilt within it--this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies--and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem. |
| 17“Say this also: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.’” Four Horns and Four Blacksmiths | 17"Proclaim further: This is what the LORD of Armies says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem." |
| 18 Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. | 18Then I looked up and saw four horns. |
| 19“What are these?” I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, “These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” | 19So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these?" And he said to me, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." |
| 20Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths. | 20Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. |
| 21“What are these men coming to do?” I asked. The angel replied, “These four horns—these nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now these blacksmiths have come to terrify those nations and throw them down and destroy them.” | 21I asked, "What are they coming to do?" He replied, "These are the horns that scattered Judah so no one could raise his head. These craftsmen have come to terrify them, to cut off the horns of the nations that raised a horn against the land of Judah to scatter it." |
| 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. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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