Zechariah 13:7-9

God's message about his shepherd and the sheep

7 The Lord Almighty says,

‘Wake up, my sword!

Attack my shepherd, the man who is near to me.

Kill the shepherd and the sheep will run away.

I will attack the little sheep.’

8 The Lord says,

‘In the whole land, only one third of the people will remain alive.

Two-thirds of the people will die.

9 I will use fire to test those people who remain.

I will make them pure,

as men use fire to make gold and silver pure.

They will call to me for help

and I will answer them.

I will say, “These are my people.”

They will say, “The Lord is our God.” ’