| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. | 1For the choir director: on stringed instruments. The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah. |
| 2I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. | 2I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth-- this is the LORD's declaration. |
| 3I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. | 3I will sweep away man and animal; I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 4I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; | 4I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all the residents of Jerusalem. I will cut off every vestige of Baal from this place, the names of the pagan priests along with the priests; |
| 5And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; | 5those who bow in worship on the rooftops to the heavenly host; those who bow and pledge loyalty to the LORD but also pledge loyalty to Milcom; |
| 6And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor inquired for him. | 6and those who turn back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of Him. |
| 7Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. | 7Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests. |
| 8And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. | 8On the day of the LORD's sacrifice I will punish the officials, the king's sons, and all who are dressed in foreign clothing. |
| 9In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. | 9On that day I will punish all who skip over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit. |
| 10And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. | 10On that day-- this is the LORD's declaration-- there will be an outcry from the Fish Gate, a wailing from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills. |
| 11Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. | 11Wail, you residents of the Hollow, for all the merchants will be silenced; all those loaded with silver will be cut off. |
| 12And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. | 12And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the men who settle down comfortably, who say to themselves: The LORD will not do good or evil. |
| 13Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. | 13Their wealth will become plunder and their houses a ruin. They will build houses but never live in them, plant vineyards but never drink their wine. |
| 14The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. | 14The great Day of the LORD is near, near and rapidly approaching. Listen, the Day of the LORD-- then the warrior's cry is bitter. |
| 15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, | 15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, |
| 16A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. | 16a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers. |
| 17And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. | 17I will bring distress on mankind, and they will walk like the blind because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. |
| 18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. | 18Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them on the day of the LORD's wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy. For He will make a complete, yes, a horrifying end of all the inhabitants of the earth. |
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