Zechariah 13

1 On that day a spring will be opened and continually flow for the house of David and for the people of Jerusalem to wash away their sin and impurity.

“On that day a spring will be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for their sin and impurity.

2 On that day, declares the Lord Almighty, I will wipe out idol worship from the land—the idols will not be remembered any longer. I will remove the false prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.

On that day—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts—I will cut off the names of the idols from the land and they will no longer be remembered. I will remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.

3 If anyone continues to prophesy, his father and mother to whom he was born will tell him, “You shall not live, because you have told lies in the Lord's name.” Then his parents shall kill him because he has prophesied.

If any man continues to prophesy, his father and mother who bore him will tell him, 'You will not live, for you speak lies in the name of Yahweh!' Then the father and mother who bore him will pierce him when he prophesies.

4 On that day such prophets will be too humiliated to prophesy their supposed visions. In order to deceive they will not put on their prophet's clothes made of coarse hair.

On that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he is about to prophesy. These prophets will no longer wear a hairy cloak, in order to deceive the people.

5 They will say, “I'm not a prophet, I'm a farmer. I've worked on the land since I was a child.”

For each will say, 'I am not a prophet! I am a man who works the soil, for the land became my work while I was still a young man!'

6 If somebody asks him, “What are those wounds on your back?” he will answer, “I was wounded in my friend's house.”

But someone will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' and he will answer, 'I was wounded with those in my friends' house.'”

7 Wake up, my sword! Attack my shepherd, the man who stands beside me! declares the Lord. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, and I will raise my hand against the lambs.

“Sword! Rouse yourself against my shepherd, the man who stands close to me— this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the flock will scatter! For I will turn my hand against the lowly ones.

8 Two thirds of the people of the land will be cut down, only one third will remain, says the Lord.

Then it will come about that throughout all the land—this is Yahweh's declaration— that two-thirds of it will be cut off! Those people will perish; only one-third will remain there.

9 I will place this one third in the fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on me for help, and I will answer them. I will say, “These are my people,” and they will say, “The Lord is my God.”

I will bring that third through the fire and refine them as silver is refined; I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them and say, 'This is my people!' and they will say, 'Yahweh is my God!'”