Ζαχαρίας 8

1 καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου παντοκράτορος λέγων

Then the Lord Almighty sent another message to me.

2 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἐζήλωσα τὴν Ιερουσαλημ καὶ τὴν Σιων ζῆλον μέγαν καὶ θυμῷ μεγάλῳ ἐζήλωσα αὐτήν

This is what the Lord Almighty says. I am jealously protective of the people of Zion; I am extremely passionate about them.

3 τάδε λέγει κύριος καὶ ἐπιστρέψω ἐπὶ Σιων καὶ κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ Ιερουσαλημ καὶ κληθήσεται ἡ Ιερουσαλημ πόλις ἡ ἀληθινὴ καὶ τὸ ὄρος κυρίου παντοκράτορος ὄρος ἅγιον

This is what the Lord says. I have returned to Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the “Faithful City,” and the mountain of the Lord Almighty the “Holy Mountain.”

4 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἔτι καθήσονται πρεσβύτεροι καὶ πρεσβύτεραι ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις Ιερουσαλημ ἕκαστος τὴν ῥάβδον αὐτοῦ ἔχων ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πλήθους ἡμερῶν

This is what the Lord Almighty says. Old people will be able to sit again in the streets of Jerusalem, each with their walking sticks they need because of their age.

5 καὶ αἱ πλατεῖαι τῆς πόλεως πλησθήσονται παιδαρίων καὶ κορασίων παιζόντων ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις αὐτῆς

The streets will be full of boys and girls playing happily.

6 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ διότι εἰ ἀδυνατήσει ἐνώπιον τῶν καταλοίπων τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις μὴ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ ἀδυνατήσει λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ

This is what the Lord Almighty says. It may seem too good to be true now, to you who remain of my people in these days. But is it impossible for me to do? asks the Lord Almighty.

7 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀνασῴζω τὸν λαόν μου ἀπὸ γῆς ἀνατολῶν καὶ ἀπὸ γῆς δυσμῶν

This is what the Lord Almighty says. I will save my people from the countries to the east and to the west.

8 καὶ εἰσάξω αὐτοὺς καὶ κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς θεὸν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ

I will bring them back and they will live in Jerusalem, and they will be my people and I will be their God, trustworthy and true.

9 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ κατισχυέτωσαν αἱ χεῖρες ὑμῶν τῶν ἀκουόντων ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐκ στόματος τῶν προφητῶν ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας τεθεμελίωται ὁ οἶκος κυρίου παντοκράτορος καὶ ὁ ναὸς ἀφ’ οὗ ᾠκοδόμηται

This is what the Lord Almighty says. Be strong, so that the Temple may be completed. Everyone who is here today is listening to the same words from the prophets who were present on the day when the foundation of the Lord Almighty's Temple was laid.

10 διότι πρὸ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων ὁ μισθὸς τῶν ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἔσται εἰς ὄνησιν καὶ ὁ μισθὸς τῶν κτηνῶν οὐχ ὑπάρξει καὶ τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ καὶ τῷ εἰσπορευομένῳ οὐκ ἔσται εἰρήνη ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ

Before that time there wasn't enough for people or for animals. No one could live normally because they were not safe from their enemies, and I set everyone against each other.

11 καὶ νῦν οὐ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τὰς ἔμπροσθεν ἐγὼ ποιῶ τοῖς καταλοίποις τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ

But now I won't treat those who remain of my people like I treated them before, declares the Lord Almighty.

12 ἀλλ’ ἢ δείξω εἰρήνην ἡ ἄμπελος δώσει τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς καὶ ἡ γῆ δώσει τὰ γενήματα αὐτῆς καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς δώσει τὴν δρόσον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατακληρονομήσω τοῖς καταλοίποις τοῦ λαοῦ μου πάντα ταῦτα

They will sow in peace; the vine will produce grapes; the soil will grow crops and the heavens will water them. I will make sure this happens to all those who remain of this people.

13 καὶ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ἦτε ἐν κατάρᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οἶκος Ιουδα καὶ οἶκος Ισραηλ οὕτως διασώσω ὑμᾶς καὶ ἔσεσθε ἐν εὐλογίᾳ θαρσεῖτε καὶ κατισχύετε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν

People of Judah and Israel: just as you were considered a curse among the nations, so I will save you and you will become a blessing. Don't be afraid! Be strong!

14 διότι τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὃν τρόπον διενοήθην τοῦ κακῶσαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ παροργίσαι με τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ καὶ οὐ μετενόησα

For this is what the Lord Almighty says: I decided to bring disaster on you when your forefathers angered me and I did not change my mind.

15 οὕτως παρατέταγμαι καὶ διανενόημαι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις τοῦ καλῶς ποιῆσαι τὴν Ιερουσαλημ καὶ τὸν οἶκον Ιουδα θαρσεῖτε

But now I have made up my mind to do good to Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Don't be afraid!

16 οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι οὓς ποιήσετε λαλεῖτε ἀλήθειαν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ καὶ κρίμα εἰρηνικὸν κρίνατε ἐν ταῖς πύλαις ὑμῶν

This what you have to do: Tell each other the truth. In your courts judge honestly and truthfully, which makes for peace.

17 καὶ ἕκαστος τὴν κακίαν τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ μὴ λογίζεσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν καὶ ὅρκον ψευδῆ μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε διότι ταῦτα πάντα ἐμίσησα λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ

Don't think up evil schemes against one another. Stop your love of lies. I hate all this, declares the Lord.

18 καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κύριου παντοκράτορος πρός με λέγων

The Lord Almighty gave me another message.

19 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ νηστεία ἡ τετρὰς καὶ νηστεία ἡ πέμπτη καὶ νηστεία ἡ ἑβδόμη καὶ νηστεία ἡ δεκάτη ἔσονται τῷ οἴκῳ Ιουδα εἰς χαρὰν καὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην καὶ εἰς ἑορτὰς ἀγαθὰς καὶ εὐφρανθήσεσθε καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ἀγαπήσατε

This is what the Lord Almighty says: The fasts you observe in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth month will become times of joy and happiness for the people of Judah—they will be festivals of celebration. But love truth and peace.

20 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἔτι ἥξουσιν λαοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κατοικοῦντες πόλεις πολλάς

This is what the Lord Almighty says: People from many nations and cities will yet come to Jerusalem,

21 καὶ συνελεύσονται κατοικοῦντες πέντε πόλεις εἰς μίαν πόλιν λέγοντες πορευθῶμεν δεηθῆναι τοῦ προσώπου κυρίου καὶ ἐκζητῆσαι τὸ πρόσωπον κυρίου παντοκράτορος πορεύσομαι κἀγώ

going from one city to another saying, “Let us be sure to go and seek the Lord and ask for the blessing of the Lord Almighty. I myself am going!”

22 καὶ ἥξουσιν λαοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ ἔθνη πολλὰ ἐκζητῆσαι τὸ πρόσωπον κυρίου παντοκράτορος ἐν Ιερουσαλημ καὶ τοῦ ἐξιλάσκεσθαι τὸ πρόσωπον κυρίου

Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to ask for the blessing of the Lord Almighty and seek the Lord.

23 τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐὰν ἐπιλάβωνται δέκα ἄνδρες ἐκ πασῶν τῶν γλωσσῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐπιλάβωνται τοῦ κρασπέδου ἀνδρὸς Ιουδαίου λέγοντες πορευσόμεθα μετὰ σοῦ διότι ἀκηκόαμεν ὅτι ὁ θεὸς μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἐστιν

This is what the Lord Almighty says: At that time ten men from different nations and languages will grab hold of the hem of a Jewish man's robe and plead, “Please take us with you for we have heard that God is with you.”