A Plea For Repentance
1 In the eighth month of Darius' second year, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
1 In the eighth month of the second year of (A)Darius, the word of the Lord came to (B)Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of (C)Iddo saying,
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius,(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah(B) son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:
1 In the eighth month of the second year of the reign of Darius, this message from the LORD came to Berechiah's son Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo the prophet:
3 Therefore say to the people: The Lord who rules over all says, "Turn to me," says the Lord who rules over all, "and I will turn to you," says the Lord who rules over all.
3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
3 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “(E)Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.
3 So tell the people: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Return to Me”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts.
3 So tell them, "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Return to me," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "and I will return to you.
4 "Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, 'The Lord who rules over all says, "Turn now from your evil wickedness,"' but they would by no means obey me," says the Lord.
4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.
4 “Do not be (F)like your fathers, to whom the (G)former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “(H)Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did (I)not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the Lord.
4 Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.(C) But they did not listen or pay attention to Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration.
4 Don't be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets proclaimed: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "It's time to turn from your evil lifestyles and from your evil actions," "but they would neither listen nor pay attention to me,'" declares the LORD.'
6 But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? Then they paid attention and confessed, 'The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.'"
6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, (L)overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘(M)As the Lord of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”’”
6 But didn’t My words and My statutes that I commanded My servants the prophets overtake your ancestors? They repented and said: As the Lord of Hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so He has dealt with us.”(D)
6 But my words and my statutes that I gave as commands to my servants the prophets did they not overwhelm your ancestors? And they returned to me: "The LORD of the Heavenly Armies acted toward us just as he planned to do in keeping with our lifestyles and in keeping with our actions.'"
Zechariah's First Vision
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month Shebat, in Darius' second year, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, as follows:
7 The Night VisionsOn the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month Shebat) in the second year of the reign of Darius, this message from the LORD came to Berechiah's son Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo the prophet:
First Vision: Horsemen
8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
8 I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a (N)red horse, and he was standing among the (O)myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and (P)white horses behind him.
8 I looked out in the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
8 "I stared into the night, and there was a man mounted on a red horse! The horse was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him there were red, brown, and white horses."
9 Then I asked one nearby, "What are these, sir?" The angelic messenger who replied to me said, "I will show you what these are."
9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
9 Then I said, “My (Q)lord, what are these?” And the (R)angel who was speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?”The angel who was talking to me replied, “I will show you what they are.”
9 Then I asked, "Who are these, sir?" The messenger who was talking to me answered, "I will tell you who these are."
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said, "These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk about on the earth."
10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom the Lord has sent to (a)(S)patrol the earth.”
10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”
10 The man who stood among the myrtle trees answered, "These are the ones whom the LORD sent out to wander throughout the earth."
11 The riders then agreed with the angel of the Lord, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have been walking about on the earth, and now everything is at rest and quiet."
11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
11 So they answered the angel of the Lord who was (T)standing among the myrtle trees and said, “We have (b)patrolled the earth, and behold, (U)all the earth is (c)peaceful and quiet.”
11 They reported to the Angel of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and right now the whole earth is calm and quiet.”(E)
11 Then they reported to the angel of the LORD who stood among the myrtle trees, "We have wandered throughout the earth and look! the entire earth is at rest. Everything is quiet and peaceful."
12 The angel of the Lord then asked, "Lord who rules over all, how long before you have compassion on Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years?"
12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “O Lord of hosts, (V)how long will You (W)have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been (X)indignant these (Y)seventy years?”
12 Then the Angel of the Lord responded, “How long, Lord of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that You have been angry with these 70 years?”(F)
12 And the angel of the LORD replied, "LORD of the Heavenly Armies, how long will it be until you show mercy to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, with whom you have been angry for these past seventy years?"
13 The Lord then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me.
13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
13 The Lord answered the (Z)angel who was speaking with me with (d)gracious words, (AA)comforting words.
13 The Lord replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.
13 So the LORD answered the angel who was speaking to me with kind and comforting words.
14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, "Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, 'I am very much moved for Jerusalem and for Zion.
14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “(AB)Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I am (AC)exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.
14 So the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim: The Lord of Hosts says: I am extremely jealous(G) for Jerusalem and Zion.
14 Then the angel who was speaking to me told me, "Announce this: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I have a deep concern for Jerusalem, a great concern for Zion.
15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.
15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
15 But I am very (AD)angry with the nations who are (AE)at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they (e)(AF)furthered the disaster.”
15 I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made it worse.
15 I am deeply angry with the nations who are complacent, with whom I was only a little displeased but they made things worse!"
16 "'Therefore,' says the Lord, 'I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,' says the Lord who rules over all. 'Once more a surveyor's measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.'
16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
16 Therefore thus says the Lord, “I will (AG)return to Jerusalem with compassion; My (AH)house will be built in it,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and a measuring (AI)line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’
16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: In mercy, I have returned to Jerusalem; My house will be rebuilt within it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.
16 "Therefore this is what the LORD says: "I have returned to Jerusalem with compassionate intentions. My Temple will be rebuilt there," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "and the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem."'"
17 Speak up again with the message of the Lord who rules over all: 'My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the Lord will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.'"
17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
17 Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “My (AJ)cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again (AK)comfort Zion and again (AL)choose Jerusalem.”’”
17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”(H)
17 "Also announce the following: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "My cities will again overflow with prosperity. The LORD will comfort Zion once more and will choose Jerusalem again."'"
Zechariah's Second Vision
19 So I asked the angelic messenger who spoke with me, "What are these?" He replied, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."
19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
19 So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the (AM)horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”
19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?”And he said to me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
19 I asked the angel who was talking to me, "What are those?" So he answered me, "Those are the forces that have dispersed Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."
21 I asked, "What are these going to do?" He answered, "These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah's enemies and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people."
21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
21 I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the (AO)horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to (AP)throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”
21 I asked, “What are they coming to do?”He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so no one could raise his head. These craftsmen have come to terrify them, to cut off the horns of the nations that raised their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
21 Then I asked, "What have they come to do?" He answered, "Those horns that dispersed Judah so that no one could lift up his head those artisans are coming to disrupt the power of nations, tearing them down now that they've come to power and dispersed the land of Judah."