The Lord Will Bless Jerusalem

8 ·A message from [^LThe word of] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] came to me, saying, ² This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “I ·have a very strong love [am jealous/zealous/passionate] for ·Jerusalem [^LZion; 2:7]. My strong love [jealousy; zeal; passion] for her ·is like a fire burning in me [or will mean wrath for her enemies].”

³ This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Jerusalem and ·live in [dwell in the midst of] it. Then it will be called the City of ·Truth [or Faithfulness], and the mountain of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] will be called the Holy Mountain [^CZion, the location of the Temple].”

⁴ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “Old men and old women will again sit along Jerusalem’s streets, each carrying a cane because of age [^Clong life due to peace and security]. ⁵ And the streets will be filled with boys and girls playing.”

⁶ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “·Those who are left alive then [The remnant] may think it is too ·difficult [marvelous] to happen, but ·it is not [^Lis it…?] too ·difficult [marvelous] for me,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts]. ⁷ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “[^LLook; ^TBehold] I will save my people from countries in the east and west. ⁸ I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their ·loyal [faithful; true] and ·good [righteous] God.”

⁹ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “·Work hard [^LLet your hands be strong], you who are hearing these words today. The prophets spoke these words when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], for the building of the Temple. ¹⁰ Before that time there was no money to hire people or animals. People could not ·safely [peacefully] come and go because of the enemies; I had turned everyone against his neighbor. ¹¹ But I will not do to ·these people who are left [this remnant of the people] what I did in the past,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts].

¹² “They will plant their seeds in peace, their grapevines will have fruit, the ground will give good crops, and the sky will send ·rain [dew]. I will give ·all this [this as an inheritance/possession] to the ·people who are left alive [remnant of this people]. ¹³ Judah and Israel, your names have been ·used as curses in [or viewed as accursed by] other nations. But I will save you, and you will become a blessing. So don’t be afraid; ·work hard [^Llet your hands be strong].”

¹⁴ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “When your ·ancestors [fathers] made me angry, I planned to ·punish [bring disaster on] you. I did not ·change my mind [relent],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts]. ¹⁵ “But ·now [^Lin these days] I am planning to do good to Jerusalem and Judah. So don’t be afraid. ¹⁶ These are the things you should do: Tell each other the truth. In ·the courts [^Lyour gates; ^Ccourt was held at the city gate] judge with truth and ·complete fairness [sound justice; judgments of peace]. ¹⁷ Do not ·make plans to hurt [^Lplan/plot evil in your hearts against] your neighbors, and don’t love false ·promises [oaths]. I hate all these things,” says the Lord.

¹⁸ ·A message from [^LThe word of the] Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] came to me again. ¹⁹ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “The ·special days when you fast in [fasts of] the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become good, joyful, happy feasts ·in [^Lfor the house of] Judah. ·But you must [So; Therefore] love truth and peace.”

²⁰ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “·Many people from [^LInhabitants of] many cities will still come to Jerusalem. ²¹ ·People [The inhabitants] from one city will go and say to those from another city, ‘·We are going [Let us go] to ·pray to [entreat] the Lord and to ·ask for help from [or worship; ^Lseek] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts]. ·Come and go with us [^LI, even I (am going)].’ ²² Many people and powerful nations will come to worship the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] in Jerusalem and to ·pray for help from [or worship; ^Lseek] the Lord.”

²³ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “At that time, ten men from ·different countries [^Lall languages of the nations] will come and take hold of a ·Judean [Jew] by his coat. They will say to him, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”