Zephaniah 3
1 What disaster is coming to corrupted, rebellious Jerusalem, you who oppress people!
Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,
2 You don't listen to anybody, you don't accept correction, you don't trust in the Lord, you don't ask for God's help.
She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
3 Your leaders are as greedy as roaring lions; your judges are ravenous wolves that leave nothing behind by morning.
Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,
4 Your prophets are arrogant, deceitful men who defile what is sacred and who openly break the law.
Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.
5 But the Lord who does right is still among you, he does no wrong. Every morning he gives his judgment, every day without fail. But those who act unjustly have no shame.
The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But the unjust know no shame.
6 I have destroyed nations. Their fortresses are deserted; their streets are empty; their cities are destroyed—there are no survivors, not one.
‘I have cut off nations, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.’
7 I told myself, “Surely they will respect me now and accept my correction. Then their homes would not be destroyed to teach them a lesson.” But instead you're just as eager to go on doing evil.
I said: ‘Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.’
8 You just wait, declares the Lord. The day is coming when I will rise to give evidence. For I have decided to gather together all the nations and kingdoms and to pour out on them my anger, my fury and my rage. The whole earth will be burned up by the fire of my jealous anger.
Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be consumed.
9 For then I will give the nations pure speech so they can all pray and worship the Lord together.
For then I will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my scattered people, my worshipers, will come to bring their offerings to me.
From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.
11 On that day you won't be ashamed because of what you did in rebelling against me, for I will remove from among you those who are proud and boastful. Never again will you be conceited on my holy mountain.
On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.
12 I will leave among you those who are meek and humble, those who trust in the name of the Lord.
But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The people of Israel who remain will not act wickedly nor will they tell lies. They will not deceive one another. They will be able to eat in peace and sleep in safety for there will be nothing to frighten them.
They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
14 Sing out, Jerusalem! Shout aloud, Israel! Jerusalem, be happy and celebrate with all your heart!
Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 For the Lord has turned aside from punishing you, and he has turned back your enemies. The Lord, the king of Israel, is with you, and you will never again have to fear disaster.
The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear evil no more.
16 On that day the message to the people of Jerusalem will be, “Don't be afraid; don't be discouraged!”
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!
17 The Lord your God is among you as a mighty warrior who saves. He will be so happy with you. He will renew his love for you. He will celebrate over you with loud singing.
The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult over you with singing,
18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the religious festivals—you will no longer have to bear the disgrace.
as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.
19 Look at what I am going to do! At that time I am going to deal with all those who have oppressed you. I will save those who are helpless and bring back those who were scattered, and I will turn their shame into praise, and all the world will respect them.
I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.
20 At that time I will bring you home, gathering you together. I will give you a good reputation, and you will be praised by all the peoples of the earth when I restore your status before your very eyes, says the Lord.
I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.
