1 T he word of Yahweh of Armies came to me.

Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

2 Y ahweh of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

“The Lord of All says, ‘I am very jealous for Zion. I am jealous for her with much anger.’

3 Y ahweh says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of Yahweh of Armies, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”

The Lord says, ‘I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of All will be called the Holy Mountain.’

4 Y ahweh of Armies says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

The Lord of All says, ‘Old men and old women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem again. Each man will have a walking stick in his hand because he will be old.

5 T he streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”

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

6 Y ahweh of Armies says: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says Yahweh of Armies.

The Lord of All says, ‘It may be wonderful to the few people here in those days, but will it be wonderful to Me also?’ says the Lord of All.

7 Y ahweh of Armies says: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

The Lord of All says, ‘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 will dwell within Jerusalem; and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

I will bring them back and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be My people and I will be their God. I will be faithful and do what is right and good for them.’

9 Y ahweh of Armies says: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of Armies was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

“The Lord of All says, ‘You who are now listening to these words spoken through the men of God who were there when the Lord’s house was started, let your hands be strong for building the Lord’s house.

10 F or before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.

Before that time there was no pay for man or animal. No one could come in or go out in peace because of those who hated him. I turned people against one another.

11 B ut now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says Yahweh of Armies.

But now I will not do to the rest of these people as I did in the past,’ says the Lord of All.

12 “ For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

‘The seed will grow in peace. The vine will give its fruit. The land will give its food. The heavens will give water on the grass in the early morning. And I will let the rest of this people have all these things.

13 I t shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

O people of Judah and Israel, just as you were a curse among the nations, I will save you and make you something good. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong.’

14 F or Yahweh of Armies says: “As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and I didn’t repent;

“The Lord of All says, ‘I wanted to hurt you because your fathers made Me angry.

15 s o again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.

But now I want to do good to Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. Do not be afraid.

16 T hese are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another. Judge with truth so there will be peace within your gates.

17 a nd let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate,” says Yahweh.

Do not make sinful plans against one another in your hearts. And do not love to make false promises. For I hate all these things,’ says the Lord.”

18 T he word of Yahweh of Armies came to me.

Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

19 Y ahweh of Armies says: “The fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

“The Lord of All says, ‘The times when you do not eat in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become glad times of joy. They will become happy, special suppers for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.’

20 Y ahweh of Armies says: “Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;

The Lord of All says, ‘Many people will yet come from many cities.

21 a nd the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of Armies. I will go also.’

The people of one city will say to another, “Let us go at once and pray to the Lord and ask for His favor. I will go also.”

22 Y es, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Armies in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Yahweh.”

‘So many people and powerful nations will come to look for the Lord of All in Jerusalem and to ask for the Lord’s favor.’

23 Y ahweh of Armies says: “In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

The Lord of All says, ‘In those days ten men from the nations of every language will take hold of the coat of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”