\NormalFont\ShortTitle{ZEPHANIAH}

{\MT Zephaniah



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Zephaniah’s Prophecy
\par }
{\MM \VerseOne{1}This is the word that the
{\ND{Lord}} spoke to Zephaniah, who was the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. The
{\ND{Lord}} spoke his word in the days of Judah’s King Josiah, son of Amon.


\par }{\SH The
{\ND{LORD}} Will Judge the Earth
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}“I will gather everything on the face of the earth

\par }{\Q and put an end to it,” declares the
{\ND{Lord}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}“I will put an end to humans and animals.

\par }{\Q I will put an end to

\par }{\Q the birds in the sky,

\par }{\Q the fish in the sea,

\par }{\Q and the sins that make people fall, together with the sinners.

\par }{\Q I will remove all people from the face of the earth,” declares the
{\ND{Lord}}.


\par }{\SH The
{\ND{LORD}} Will Judge Judah
\par }
{\Q \VS{4}“I will use my power against Judah

\par }{\Q and against those who live in Jerusalem.

\par }{\Q I will remove the faithful few of Baal from this place

\par }{\Q and the names of the pagan priests along with my priests.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops

\par }{\Q and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the
{\ND{Lord}}

\par }{\Q while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 1:5 }{\FT{Or
}}{\FQA{“to their king.”}}}


\par }{\Q \VS{6}I will remove those who have turned away from following the
{\ND{Lord}}

\par }{\Q and those who no longer seek the
{\ND{Lord}} or ask him for help.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{7}Be silent in the presence of the Almighty
{\ND{Lord}},

\par }{\Q because the day of the
{\ND{Lord}} is near.

\par }{\Q The
{\ND{Lord}} has prepared a sacrifice.

\par }{\Q He has invited his special guests.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}“On the day of the
{\ND{Lord}}’s sacrifice I will punish the officials,

\par }{\Q the king’s sons, and all who dress in foreign clothing.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 1:8 }{\FT{Wearing
}}{\FQ{foreign clothing
}}{\FT{was a sign of worshiping foreign gods.}}}


\par }{\Q \VS{9}On that day I will punish all who jump over the doorway

\par }{\Q and all who fill their master’s house with violence and deception.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}On that day a loud cry will come from Fish Gate,

\par }{\Q a howling from the Second Part of the city,

\par }{\Q and a loud crashing sound from the hills,” declares the
{\ND{Lord}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}“Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar,\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 1:11 }{\FQ{The Mortar
}}{\FT{was in the northern part of Jerusalem, the Second Part of the city, which could be entered through the Fish Gate.}}}

\par }{\Q because all the merchants will be destroyed

\par }{\Q and all who handle money will be killed.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those

\par }{\Q who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle,

\par }{\Q who think that the
{\ND{Lord}} won’t do anything—good or bad.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}Their wealth will be looted.

\par }{\Q Their homes will be demolished.

\par }{\Q They will build houses, but they won’t live in them.

\par }{\Q They will plant vineyards, but they won’t drink their wine.”


\par }{\SH The Day of the
{\ND{LORD}}
\par }
{\Q \VS{14}The frightening day of the
{\ND{Lord}} is near.

\par }{\Q It is near and coming very quickly.

\par }{\Q Listen! Warriors will cry out bitterly on the day of the
{\ND{Lord}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}That day will be a day of overflowing fury,

\par }{\Q a day of trouble and distress,

\par }{\Q a day of devastation and desolation,

\par }{\Q a day of darkness and gloom,

\par }{\Q a day of clouds and overcast skies,


\par }{\Q \VS{16}a day of rams’ horns and battle cries

\par }{\Q against the fortified cities

\par }{\Q and against the high corner towers.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}“I will bring such distress on humans that they will walk like they are blind,

\par }{\Q because they have sinned against the
{\ND{Lord}}.”

\par }{\Q Their blood will be poured out like dust

\par }{\Q and their intestines like manure.


\par }{\Q \VS{18}Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them

\par }{\Q on the day of the
{\ND{Lord}}’s overflowing fury.

\par }{\Q The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery anger,

\par }{\Q because he will put an end, a frightening end,

\par }{\Q to those who live on earth.




\par }\Chap{2}{\SH A Call for Judah to Turn Away from Sin
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}Gather yourselves together!

\par }{\Q Yes, gather together, you shameless nation,


\par }{\Q \VS{2}before the decree is carried out

\par }{\Q {\ADD{⌞and⌟}} the day passes like windblown husks,

\par }{\Q before the
{\ND{Lord}}’s burning anger comes to you,

\par }{\Q before the day of the
{\ND{Lord}}’s anger comes to you.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}Search for the
{\ND{Lord}}, all you humble people in the land

\par }{\Q who carry out his justice.

\par }{\Q Search for what is right.

\par }{\Q Search for humility.

\par }{\Q Maybe you will find shelter on the day of the
{\ND{Lord}}’s anger.


\par }{\SH The
{\ND{LORD}} Will Judge His People’s Enemies
\par }
{\Q \VS{4}Gaza will be deserted,

\par }{\Q and Ashkelon will be destroyed.

\par }{\Q Ashdod will be driven out at noon,

\par }{\Q and Ekron will be torn out by the roots.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}How horrible it will be for those who live on the seacoast,

\par }{\Q for the nation from Crete.

\par }{\Q The
{\ND{Lord}}’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines:

\par }{\Q “I will destroy you so that no one will be living there.”


\par }{\Q \VS{6}The seacoast will become pastureland

\par }{\Q with meadows for shepherds

\par }{\Q and fenced-off places for sheep.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}The coast will belong to the faithful few from the nation of Judah.

\par }{\Q There they will graze their sheep.

\par }{\Q In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon.

\par }{\Q The
{\ND{Lord}} their God will take care of them

\par }{\Q and will restore their fortunes.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}“I have heard the insults from Moab and the mockery from Ammon.

\par }{\Q They insulted my people and bragged about their territory.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}Therefore, I solemnly swear, as I live,”

\par }{\Q declares the
{\ND{Lord}} of Armies, the God of Israel,

\par }{\Q “Moab will become like Sodom, and Ammon will become like Gomorrah:

\par }{\Q a place of weeds, salt pits, and ruins forever.

\par }{\Q The faithful few of my people will loot them,

\par }{\Q and those who are left in my nation will take possession of them.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}This is what they will get for their sinful pride,

\par }{\Q because they insulted the people who belong to the
{\ND{Lord}} of Armies

\par }{\Q and made themselves greater than them.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}The
{\ND{Lord}} will terrify them,

\par }{\Q because he will make all the gods of the earth waste away.

\par }{\Q So every person from every coast and nation will bow to him.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}“Even you, the people from Sudan,

\par }{\Q you will also die by my sword.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{13}The
{\ND{Lord}} will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria.

\par }{\Q He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin,

\par }{\Q a dried up wasteland like the desert.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}Flocks will lie down in it along with animals of every kind.

\par }{\Q Even pelicans and herons will nest on top of its columns.

\par }{\Q Listen! A bird will sing in a window.

\par }{\Q The doorway will be in ruins,

\par }{\Q because the
{\ND{Lord}} will expose the cedar beams.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}Is this the arrogant city?

\par }{\Q Is this the city that used to live securely,

\par }{\Q the city that used to think to itself,

\par }{\Q “I’m the only one, and no one else exists but me”?

\par }{\Q What a wasteland it is now, a resting place for wild animals!

\par }{\Q All who pass by it will hiss and make an obscene gesture.




\par }\Chap{3}{\SH Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}How horrible it will be for that rebellious

\par }{\Q and corrupt place, the city of violence.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}It obeys no one.

\par }{\Q It does not accept correction.

\par }{\Q It does not trust the
{\ND{Lord}}.

\par }{\Q It does not draw close to its God.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}Its officials are
{\ADD{⌞like⌟}} roaring lions.

\par }{\Q Its judges are
{\ADD{⌞like⌟}} wolves in the evening.

\par }{\Q They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful.

\par }{\Q Its priests contaminate what is holy.

\par }{\Q They violate the teachings.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}The righteous
{\ND{Lord}} is in that city.

\par }{\Q He does no wrong.

\par }{\Q He brings his judgment to light every morning.

\par }{\Q He does not fail.

\par }{\Q But those who are perverted are shameless.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{6}“I will cut off the nations.

\par }{\Q Their towers will be destroyed.

\par }{\Q I will demolish their streets.

\par }{\Q No one will walk through them.

\par }{\Q Their cities will be completely destroyed.

\par }{\Q Not a single person will be left.

\par }{\Q No one will be living there.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}I said
{\ADD{⌞to my people⌟}},

\par }{\Q ‘You will fear me.

\par }{\Q You will accept correction!’

\par }{\Q Then their homeland would not be wiped out

\par }{\Q even though I have punished them.

\par }{\Q Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did.”


\par }{\Q \VS{8}The
{\ND{Lord}} declares, “Just wait!

\par }{\Q One day I will stand up as a witness.

\par }{\Q I have decided to gather nations,

\par }{\Q to bring kingdoms together,

\par }{\Q and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them.

\par }{\Q The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.


\par }{\SH Israel Will Turn Away from Sin
\par }
{\Q \VS{9}“Then I will give all people pure lips

\par }{\Q to worship the
{\ND{Lord}}

\par }{\Q and to serve him with one purpose.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}From beyond the rivers of Sudan

\par }{\Q my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring my offering.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}On that day you will no longer be ashamed

\par }{\Q of all your rebellious acts against me.

\par }{\Q Then I will remove your arrogance

\par }{\Q and never again will you act proud on my holy mountain.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people.

\par }{\Q They will seek refuge in the name of the
{\ND{Lord}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}The faithful few in Israel will not do wrong, tell lies,

\par }{\Q or use their tongues to deceive others.

\par }{\Q They will graze their sheep and lie down,

\par }{\Q and there will be no one to terrify them.”


\par }{\SH Israel’s Joyful Song
\par }
{\Q \VS{14}Sing happily, people of Zion!

\par }{\Q Shout loudly, Israel!

\par }{\Q Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}The
{\ND{Lord}} has reversed the judgments against you.

\par }{\Q He has forced out your enemies.

\par }{\Q The king of Israel, the
{\ND{Lord}}, is with you.

\par }{\Q You will never fear disaster again.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}On that day Jerusalem will be told,

\par }{\Q “Do not be afraid, Zion!

\par }{\Q Do not lose courage!”


\par }{\Q \VS{17}The
{\ND{Lord}} your God is with you.

\par }{\Q He is a hero who saves you.

\par }{\Q He happily rejoices over you,

\par }{\Q renews you with his love,

\par }{\Q and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.


\par }{\SH Israel Will Return Home
\par }
{\Q \VS{18}“I will gather those among you who are troubled because of the festivals.

\par }{\Q They bear a burden of disgrace.


\par }{\Q \VS{19}At that time

\par }{\Q I will deal with all who have overpowered you.

\par }{\Q I will rescue those who are lame.

\par }{\Q I will gather those who have been scattered.

\par }{\Q I will make them praised and famous in all the world,

\par }{\Q though they had been ashamed.


\par }{\Q \VS{20}At that time I will bring you
{\ADD{⌞home⌟}}.

\par }{\Q Yes, at that time I will gather you together.

\par }{\Q I will make you famous and praised among all the people of the earth

\par }{\Q when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes,” says the
{\ND{Lord}}.

\par }