Zephaniah 3 Parallel Bible Translations

Zephaniah 3 ▼
swipe to see more →
GWT
God's Word Translation
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 How horrible it will be for that rebellious and corrupt place, the city of violence. Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!
2 It obeys no one. It does not accept correction. It does not trust the LORD. It does not draw close to its God. She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God. She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD, she does not draw near to her God.
3 Its officials are [like] roaring lions. Its judges are [like] wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning. Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. Her officials within her are roaring lions; her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning.
4 Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. Its priests contaminate what is holy. They violate the teachings. Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law. Her prophets are unprincipled; they are treacherous people. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.
5 The righteous LORD is in that city. He does no wrong. He brings his judgment to light every morning. He does not fail. But those who are perverted are shameless. The LORD within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame. The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.
6 |I will cut off the nations. Their towers will be destroyed. I will demolish their streets. No one will walk through them. Their cities will be completely destroyed. Not a single person will be left. No one will be living there. “I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant. “I have destroyed nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are laid waste; they are deserted and empty.
7 I said [to my people], 'You will fear me. You will accept correction!' Then their homeland would not be wiped out even though I have punished them. Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did.| I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt. Of Jerusalem I thought, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept correction!’ Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did.
8 The LORD declares, |Just wait! One day I will stand up as a witness. I have decided to gather nations, to bring kingdoms together, and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them. The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury. “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed. Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.
9 |Then I will give all people pure lips to worship the LORD and to serve him with one purpose. “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord. “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Sudan my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring my offering. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings.
11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your rebellious acts against me. Then I will remove your arrogance and never again will you act proud on my holy mountain. “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from you your arrogant boasters. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill.
12 So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people. They will seek refuge in the name of the LORD. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD, But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the LORD.
13 The faithful few in Israel will not do wrong, tell lies, or use their tongues to deceive others. They will graze their sheep and lie down, and there will be no one to terrify them.| those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.”
14 Sing happily, people of Zion! Shout loudly, Israel! Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem. Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The LORD has reversed the judgments against you. He has forced out your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is with you. You will never fear disaster again. The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day Jerusalem will be told, |Do not be afraid, Zion! Do not lose courage!| On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 |I will gather those among you who are troubled because of the festivals. They bear a burden of disgrace. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal with all who have overpowered you. I will rescue those who are lame. I will gather those who have been scattered. I will make them praised and famous in all the world, though they had been ashamed. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will bring you [home]. Yes, at that time I will gather you together. I will make you famous and praised among all the people of the earth when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes,| says the LORD. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the LORD.
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page