Zechariah 8

1 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying,

Now this message of the Lord of hosts came to me:

2 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy, and with great fury am I jealous for her.

The Lord of hosts says: I passionately care for Zion, and I am fiercely protective of her.

3 Thus hath said the Lord, I return unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mount of the Lord of hosts, The holy mount.

The Lord says, I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem will be called, ‘The City of Truth’ and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, ‘The Holy Mountain.’

4 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Again shall there sit old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, and every one with his staff in his hand because of their multitude of years.

The Lord of hosts says: Old men and old women will sit again in the squares of Jerusalem, each leaning on a staff because of old age.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in her streets.

And the streets of the city will be full of boys, and of girls playing in its squares.

6 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, If it should be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.

The Lord of hosts says: Just because it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, is it also impossible for me? says the Lord of hosts.

7 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the country of the setting of the sun;

The Lord of hosts says: I will rescue my people from the land of the east and the land of the west.

8 And I will bring them [back], that they may dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be unto me for a people, and I will be unto them for a God, in truth and in righteousness.

I will bring them and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.

9 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, who [spoke] on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, when the temple was to be built.

The Lord of hosts says: Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days the words of the prophets spoken when the foundations for the house of the Lord of hosts were laid.

10 For before those days there was no reward for man, nor any reward for beast; and for him that went out or came in there was no peace, because of the oppressor: and I let loose all men, every one against his neighbor.

For before those days there were no wages for people or animals. No one could go out or return safe from enemies, because I set each against their neighbor.

11 But now I am no more as in the former days unto the residue of this people, saith the Lord of hosts.

But now I will treat the remnant of the people differently from former days, says the Lord of hosts.

12 For the seed shall be undisturbed; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give her production, and the heavens shall give their dew: and I will bestow on the remnant of this people all these things.

Peace will be sown. The vine will bear its fruit and the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things.

13 And it shall come to pass, that, in the same degree as ye have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing: fear not; let your hands be strong.

Just as you were accursed among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

14 For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, As I had purposed to do you evil, when your fathers incensed me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I bethought myself not:

For the Lord of hosts says: As I planned to do evil to you when your ancestors provoked me to anger, says the Lord of hosts, and I did not relent,

15 So do I again purpose in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear ye not.

so again have I planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.

16 These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye the truth every man to his neighbor; [with] truth and the judgment of peace judge ye in your gates;

These are the things that you should do: Speak the truth to each other. Render peaceful decisions in your gates.

17 And let none of you think evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love not a false oath, for all these are what I hate, saith the Lord.

Let none of you devise evil in your heart against one another. Do not love perjury. All these are things I hate, says the Lord.

18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,

And this message of the Lord of hosts came to me:

19 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [month], shall become to the house of Judah gladness and joy, and merry festivals: only love ye the truth and peace.

The Lord of hosts says: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, will be festivals of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.

20 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, [A time] shall yet be! when there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities;

The Lord of hosts says: Peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will come,

21 And the inhabitants of one [city] shall go to another, saying, Let us only go to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I too will likewise go.

and the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, “Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also.”

22 And many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.

Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord.

23 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, In those days [it shall happen], that ten men out of all the languages of the nations shall take hold—yea, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, Let us go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.

The Lord of hosts says: In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”