1 ¶ Again the word of the LORD of the hosts came to me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying,

2 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts said, I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’

3 T hus hath the LORD said, I will restore Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called City of truth and the mountain of the LORD of the hosts, the mountain of holiness.

Thus says the Lord, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’

4 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Old men and old women shall yet dwell there in the streets of Jerusalem, and each one with his staff in his hand for the multitude of the days.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘ Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age.

5 A nd the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls who shall play in them.

And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’

6 T hus saith the LORD of the hosts, If this should appear difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be difficult in my eyes? saith the LORD of the hosts.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the Lord of hosts.

7 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Behold, I will save my people of the land of the east and of the land where the sun sets;

Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west;

8 a nd I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’

9 ¶ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, from the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of the hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built.

10 F or before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men each one against his neighbour.

For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another.

11 B ut now I will not do unto the residue of this people as in the former days, said the LORD of the hosts.

But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the Lord of hosts.

12 F or the seed of peace shall remain; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her fruit, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all this.

‘For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

13 A nd it shall come to pass that as ye were a curse among the Gentiles, O house of Judah and house of Israel; so will I save you that ye might be a blessing; fear not, but let your hands be strong.

It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.’

14 F or thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, As I thought to punish you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, said the LORD of the hosts, and I did not repent:

“For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and I have not relented,

15 s o again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not fear.

so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear!

16 T hese are the things that ye shall do: Speak each one the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates;

These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.

17 a nd let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, said the LORD.

Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the Lord.”

18 ¶ And the word of the LORD of the hosts came unto me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,

19 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts said, The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.’

20 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts said, It shall yet come to pass that there shall come people and the inhabitants of many cities

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘ It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.

21 a nd the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go to pray before the LORD and to seek the LORD of the hosts. And the other will respond: I will go also.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will also go.”

22 A nd many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of the hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the LORD.

So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.’

23 T hus hath the LORD of the hosts said, In those days it shall come to pass that ten men of all the languages of the Gentiles shall take hold of the robe of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”