Zephaniah.
Chapter 1.
For the choir director; on stringed instruments. This is the word that the Lord spoke to Zephaniah, who was the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. The Lord spoke his word in the days of Judah’s King Josiah, son of Amon. 
“I will gather everything on the face of the earth and put an end to it,” declares the Lord. 
“I will put an end to humans and animals. I will put an end to the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and the sins that make people fall, together with the sinners. I will remove all people from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. 
“I will use my power against Judah and against those who live in Jerusalem. I will remove the faithful few of Baal from this place and the names of the pagan priests along with my priests. 
I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the Lord while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom. 
I will remove those who have turned away from following the Lord and those who no longer seek the Lord or ask him for help.” 
Be silent in the presence of the Almighty Lord, because the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice. He has invited his special guests. 
“On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice I will punish the officials, the king’s sons, and all who dress in foreign clothing. 
On that day I will punish all who jump over the doorway and all who fill their master’s house with violence and deception. 
On that day a loud cry will come from Fish Gate, a howling from the Second Part of the city, and a loud crashing sound from the hills,” declares the Lord. 
“Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar, because all the merchants will be destroyed and all who handle money will be killed. 
“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle, who think that the Lord won’t do anything—good or bad. 
Their wealth will be looted. Their homes will be demolished. They will build houses, but they won’t live in them. They will plant vineyards, but they won’t drink their wine.” 
The frightening day of the Lord is near. It is near and coming very quickly. Listen! Warriors will cry out bitterly on the day of the Lord. 
That day will be a day of overflowing fury, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and overcast skies, 
a day of rams’ horns and battle cries against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers. 
“I will bring such distress on humans that they will walk like they are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord.” Their blood will be poured out like dust and their intestines like manure. 
Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them on the day of the Lord’s overflowing fury. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery anger, because he will put an end, a frightening end, to those who live on earth. 
