Zechariah 8
The LORD declares He is jealous for Zion with great fury. He will return and dwell in Jerusalem, and it will be called the city of truth. Old men and old women will again sit in the streets, and boys and girls will play in them. The fasts of mourning will become feasts of joy. Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, | Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, |
| 2 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. | "This is what the LORD of hosts says: I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. |
| 3 | Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. | This is what the LORD says: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the Holy Mountain. |
| 4 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. | This is what the LORD of hosts says: Old men and old women shall yet live in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of his great age. |
| 5 | And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. | And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. |
| 6 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. | This is what the LORD of hosts says: If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in My eyes? says the LORD of hosts. |
| 7 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; | This is what the LORD of hosts says: I will save My people from the east country and from the west country. |
| 8 | And 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, and they shall live in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. |
| 9 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. | This is what the LORD of hosts says: Let Your hands be strong, You who hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke in the day the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. |
| 10 | For 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 every one against his neighbour. | For before these days there were no wages for man, nor any wages for beast. Nor was there any peace for Him who went out or came in, because of the affliction, for I set every man against his neighbor. |
| 11 | But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. | But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts. |
| 12 | For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. | For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. |
| 13 | And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. | And it shall come to pass, that as You were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save You, and You shall be a blessing. Do not fear, but let Your hands be strong. |
| 14 | For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: | For this is what the LORD of hosts says: As I purposed to punish You when Your fathers provoked Me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I did not relent, |
| 15 | So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. | so again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear. |
| 16 | These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: | These are the things that You shall do: Speak every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in Your gates. |
| 17 | And 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, saith the LORD. | And 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 the LORD." |
| 18 | And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, | And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, |
| 19 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; 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 joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts to the house of Judah; therefore love the truth and peace. | "This is what the LORD of hosts says: 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 to the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace. |
| 20 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: | This is what the LORD of hosts says: Peoples shall yet come, and the inhabitants of many cities. |
| 21 | And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. | And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go quickly to pray before the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts. I will go also.' |
| 22 | Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of 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 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. | This is what the LORD of hosts says: In those days it shall come to pass that ten men out of all the languages of the nations shall take hold, taking hold of the skirt of a Jew, saying, 'We will go with You, for we have heard that God is with You.'" |