Zephaniah

Zephaniah, chapter 3, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 3 New English Translation

Jerusalem is Corrupt

   1 The filthy, stained city is as good as dead; the city filled with oppressors is finished!
   2 She is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the LORD; she does not seek the advice of her God.
   3 Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.
   4 Her prophets are proud; they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; they break God's laws.
   5 The just LORD resides within her; he commits no unjust acts. Every morning he reveals his justice. At dawn he appears without fail. Yet the unjust know no shame.

The LORD's Judgment will Purify

   6 "I destroyed nations; their walled cities are in ruins. I turned their streets into ruins; no one passes through them. Their cities are desolate; no one lives there.
   7 I thought, 'Certainly you will respect me! Now you will accept correction!' If she had done so, her home would not be destroyed by all the punishments I have threatened. But they eagerly sinned in everything they did.
   8 Therefore you must wait patiently for me," says the LORD, "for the day when I attack and take plunder. I have decided to gather nations together and assemble kingdoms, so I can pour out my fury on them - all my raging anger. For the whole earth will be consumed by my fiery anger.
   9 Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the LORD's name when they pray, and will worship him in unison.
   10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, those who pray to me will bring me tribute.
   11 In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.
   12 I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people, and they will find safety in the LORD's presence.
   13 The Israelites who remain will not act deceitfully. They will not lie, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep and lie down; no one will terrify them."
   14 Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
   15 The LORD has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel's king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster.
   16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!
   17 The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you."
   18 "As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals - I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you.
   19 Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them.
   20 At that time I will lead you - at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you," says the LORD.

King James Version

   1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
   2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
   3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
   4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
   5 The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
   6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
   7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
   8 ¶ Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
   9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
   10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
   11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
   12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
   13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
   14 ¶ Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
   15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
   16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
   17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
   18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
   19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
   20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.