| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- | 1Blow the horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; in fact, it is near-- |
| 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come. | 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dense overcast, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come. |
| 3Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste-- nothing escapes them. | 3A fire destroys in front of them, and behind them a flame devours. The land in front of them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. |
| 4They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. | 4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses. |
| 5With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle. | 5They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war. |
| 6At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale. | 6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale. |
| 7They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. | 7They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course. |
| 8They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. | 8They do not push each other; each man proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping. |
| 9They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. | 9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves. |
| 10Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. | 10The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining. |
| 11The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? | 11The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. His camp is very large; Those who carry out His command are powerful. Indeed, the Day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful-- who can endure it? |
| 12"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." | 12Even now-- this is the LORD's declaration-- turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. |
| 13Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. | 13Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. |
| 14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing-- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God. | 14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD your God. |
| 15Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. | 15Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. |
| 16Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. | 16Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber. |
| 17Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" | 17Let the priests, the LORD's ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say:" Have pity on Your people, LORD, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, Where is their God?'" |
| 18Then the LORD was jealous for his land and took pity on his people. | 18Then the LORD became jealous for His land and spared His people. |
| 19The LORD replied to them: "I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations. | 19The LORD answered His people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. |
| 20"I will drive the northern horde far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land; its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise." Surely he has done great things! | 20I will drive the northerner far from you and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, for he has done catastrophic things. |
| 21Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things! | 21Don't be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. |
| 22Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. | 22Don't be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches. |
| 23Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. | 23Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain as before. |
| 24The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. | 24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil. |
| 25"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten-- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm -- my great army that I sent among you. | 25I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust-- My great army that I sent against you. |
| 26You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. | 26You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. |
| 27Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed. | 27You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame. |
| 28"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. | 28 After this I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. |
| 29Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. | 29I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. |
| 30I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. | 30I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. |
| 31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. | 31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the LORD comes. |
| 32And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls. | 32Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD promised, among the survivors the LORD calls. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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