Zefanja 3 | New International Reader’s Version

A message about Jerusalem

1 How terrible it will be for Jerusalem! Its people crush others. They refuse to obey the LORD. They are ‘unclean’. 2 They don’t obey anyone. They don’t accept the LORD’s warnings. They don’t trust in him. They don’t ask their God for his help. 3 Jerusalem’s officials are like roaring lions. Their rulers are like wolves that hunt in the evening. They don’t leave anything to eat in the morning. 4 Their prophets care about nothing. They can’t be trusted. Their priests make the temple ‘unclean’. They break the law they teach others to obey. 5 In spite of that, the LORD is good to Jerusalem. He never does anything that is wrong. Every morning he does what is fair. Each new day he does the right thing. But those who do what is wrong aren’t even ashamed of it.

Jerusalem remains unrepentant

6 The LORD says to his people, ‘I have destroyed other nations. I have wiped out their forts. I have left their streets deserted. No one walks along them. Their cities are destroyed. They are deserted and empty. 7 Here is what I thought about Jerusalem. “Surely you will have respect for me. Surely you will accept my warning.” Then the city you think is safe would not be destroyed. And I would not have to punish you so much. But they still wanted to go on sinning in every way they could. 8 So wait for me to come as judge,’ announces the LORD. ‘Wait for the day I will stand up to witness against all sinners. I have decided to gather the nations. I will bring the kingdoms together. And I will pour out all my burning anger on them. The fire of my jealous anger will burn the whole world up.

Israel will trust in the Lord

9 ‘But then I will purify what all the nations say. And they will use their words to worship me. They will serve me together. 10 My scattered people will come to me from beyond the rivers of Cush. They will worship me. They will bring me offerings. 11 Jerusalem, you have done many wrong things to me. But at that time you will not be put to shame anymore. That’s because I will remove from this city those who think so highly of themselves. You will never be proud again on my holy mountain of Zion. 12 But inside your city I will leave those who are not proud at all. Those who are still left alive will trust in the LORD. 13 They will not do anything wrong. They will not tell any lies. They will not say anything to fool other people. They will eat and lie down in peace. And no one will make them afraid.’ 14 People of Zion, sing! Israel, shout loudly! People of Jerusalem, be glad! Let your hearts be full of joy. 15 The LORD has stopped punishing you. He has made your enemies turn away from you. The LORD is the King of Israel. He is with you. You will never again be afraid that others will harm you. 16 The time is coming when people will say to Jerusalem, ‘Zion, don’t be afraid. Don’t give up. 17 The LORD your God is with you. He is the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you. In his love he will no longer punish you. Instead, he will sing for joy because of you.’ 18 The LORD says to his people, ‘You used to celebrate my appointed feasts in Jerusalem. You are sad because you can’t do that anymore. Other people make fun of you because of that. That sadness was a heavy load for you to carry. But I will remove that load from you. 19 At that time I will punish all those who crushed you. I will save those among you who are disabled. I will gather those who have been taken away. I will give them praise and honour in every land where they have been put to shame. 20 At that time I will gather you together. And I will bring you home. I will give you honour and praise among all the nations on earth. I will bless you with great success again,’ says the LORD.

English Standard Version

Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations

1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! 2 She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God. 3 Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. 4 Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law. 5 The Lord within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame. 6 “I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant. 7 I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your* dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’* But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt. 8 “Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.

The Conversion of the Nations

9 “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. 10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. 11 “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. 12 But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, 13 those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

Israel’s Joy and Restoration

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. 18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.* 19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.

Zefanja 3 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version