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

Again 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 zealous for Zion with great zeal; With great fervor I am zealous 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 dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, 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 shall again sit In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age.

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

The streets of the city Shall be full of 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 marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ Says 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 will 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.

I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. 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 have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the Lord of hosts, 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 these days There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.

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,’ says 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 the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these.

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.

And it shall come to pass That just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be 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 determined to punish you When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I would not relent,

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 again in these days I am determined 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 you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;

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.

Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ Says 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 month, The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore 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: ‘Peoples shall yet come, 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 city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, And seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.”

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.

Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before 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 every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”