New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1Then another message came to me from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: | 1This is this message from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies: |
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! | 2"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'I'm greatly jealous about Zion, and that makes me furious about her.' |
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. | 3"This is what the LORD says: 'I will return to Zion and I will live in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem will be called, "The City of Truth" and the mountain of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will be called, "The Holy Mountain".' |
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. | 4"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'There will yet be old men and old women sitting in the parks of Jerusalem, each one of them holding canes in their hands due to their old age! |
5And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play. | 5The city parks will be filled with boys and girls. They will play in the city's open parks.' |
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. | 6"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'It may seem impossible to the survivors of this people, but is it impossible for me?' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. |
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. | 7"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'Look! After having saved my people from the land of the east and from the land of the west, |
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. | 8I will also bring them back to live in the midst of Jerusalem. They will be my people and I will truly be their righteous God.'" |
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. | 9"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'Be strong so the Temple can be built, you who are now listening to this message spoken by the prophets when the foundation was laid to the Temple of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. |
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. | 10Before then, everyone was unemployed—even the draft animals—and no one was safe coming or going because of the enemy, because I caused everyone to oppose each other. |
11“But now I will not treat the remnant of my people as I treated them before, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. | 11"'But now I will not treat the survivors of this people as I did formerly,' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. |
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. | 12For there will be a sowing of peace: the vine will produce its fruit, the earth will produce its full yield, the sky will produce its dew, and I will make the survivors of this people inherit all these things. |
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! | 13Furthermore, house of Judah and house of Israel, even though you used to be a curse among the nations, now I will surely save you, and you will be a blessing. Stop being afraid. Instead, grow stronger.'" |
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. | 14"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'Just as I intended to bring harm to you when your ancestors angered me,' says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, 'and I did not relent, |
15But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. | 15so I have decided at this time to do good things for Jerusalem and for the house of Judah. So stop being afraid. |
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. | 16Here's what you must do: tell the truth to your neighbors, administer true and peaceful justice in your courtrooms, |
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.” | 17don't plot evil in your heart against a neighbor, and don't tolerate false testimonies, because I hate all these things,' declares the LORD." |
18Here is another message that came to me from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. | 18Once again this message from the LORD come to me: |
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. | 19"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'The fasts that occur in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be joyful and glad times for the house of Judah, replete with cheerful festivals. Therefore, love truth and peace.'" |
20“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. | 20"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'In the future, people will come, including residents of many cities, |
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.’ | 21and they will travel from one place to another place and say, "Let's go quickly to pray in the presence of the LORD and to inquire of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.' And I will go, too. |
22Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. | 22Many people and powerful nations will come to inquire of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies in Jerusalem, and to pray in the presence of the LORD."'" |
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.’” | 23"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: 'In the future, ten men speaking all the languages of the nations will grab hold of one Jewish person by the hem of his garment and say, "Let us go up to Jerusalem with you, because we heard that God is with you."'" |
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 Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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