Zechariah 3

1 Then [Yahweh] showed me Joshua, the Supreme Priest, [who was] standing in front of the angel that Yahweh had sent. And Satan was standing at Joshua’s right side, [ready] to accuse him.

Then the Lord showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing on his right accusing him.

2 But Yahweh said to Satan, “Satan, I am rebuking you! I [am the one] who has chosen Jerusalem [to be my special city, and I] am rebuking you! This [man, Joshua], [has been brought back from Babylonia]; he is surely [like] [MET, RHQ] a burning stick that has been snatched from a fire.”

And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebukes you Satan. I, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you. Isn't he like a half-burned stick snatched from the fire?”

3 Joshua was wearing filthy clothes while he was standing in front of the angel.

Joshua was wearing filthy clothes as he stood in front of the angel.

4 The angel said to those [other angels] who were standing in front of him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” [After they did that, ] the angel said to Joshua, “Look! I have taken away [the guilt of] your sins, and I will put beautiful clothes on you.”

The angel said to those standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See how I have taken away your sins from you, and now I am dressing you with fine clothes.”

5 Then I said to them, “Put a clean turban on his head!” So they put a clean turban on his head and put [new] on him, while the angel sent by Yahweh was standing there.

Then I said, “Wrap a clean turban around his head.” So they wrapped a clean turban around his head and put the clothes on him while the angel of the Lord stood there.

6 Then the angel said [this] to Joshua:

Then the angel of the Lord solemnly advised Joshua, saying,

7 “The Commander of the armies of angels says that if you do what I want you to do [IDM], and obey my instructions, you will (be in charge of/have authority over) [what is done in] my temple and its courtyard. And I will allow you to speak at any time to the angels who are standing near to me.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: If you follow my ways and observe my commands, then you will govern my Temple and its courtyards. I will allow you to walk among those standing here.

8 Joshua, [you are] the Supreme Priest, and your (associates/fellow priests) are sitting in front of you. They symbolize/represent things that will happen in the future. [Some day] I am going to bring someone who will work for me, someone who will be called the Branch.

Pay attention, high priest Joshua and all your fellow-priests that you teach! You are a sign of good things to come. Look! I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.

9 Look at the stone that I have put in front of Joshua. There are seven sides on the stone. I will engrave a message on that stone, and in one day I will remove the guilt of [all the people of] this country.

See that I have placed a precious stone in front of Joshua, a single stone with seven faces. Watch, for I myself am going to engrave seven eyes on it, declares the Lord Almighty, and I will wipe away the sins of this land in a single day.

10 At that time, each of you will invite his friends [to come and sit] under his grapevine and under his fig tree. [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels declares.”

On that day everyone will invite their friends to sit in peace under their vines and fig trees, says the Lord Almighty.”