Zephaniah 3
The Lord will punish Jerusalem
It is like something that is dirty.
Its people will not obey me. They like to fight weak people. They also like to do bad things.
Nobody can
They do not
They do not come near to their God.
Its
They are like wolves that have even eaten all an animal's bones before morning.
People cannot
Its
even in God's
They have also made changes to God's rules.
They have made changes that they want.
He will do what is right.
He is always the honest judge.
He never fails.
But the bad people do not know how to be ashamed.
‘There is nobody in their strong
I have made their streets empty, so no people are there.
I have destroyed their cities.
So nobody lives in them now.
Now they will agree when people warn them.”
The people would have been safe if they had accepted it.
Then I would not have to destroy them.
But it did not happen. I had to
Still, the people got up early to do bad things.
I will stand up and I will
I have decided to bring together the nations and the people that kings rule over.
Then I will
They will see how angry I am.
They will see it because, on that day, I will burn all the earth.’
That is what the Lord says.
The Lord will make the people pure
With those lips, they will call me Lord.
And then, all the people will agree to work together for me.’
Yes, my people who pray went away to many other countries.
They will return and they will carry their gifts to me.
of the wrong things that you have done against me.
But I will take away those who do not see anything wrong in themselves.
Those people will not call each other
“the people who live on God's
These are the people who have had bad times.
These are the people who will
They will not do any bad things.
They will only say things that are true.
They will say honest things.
They will eat well and they will sleep well.
Nobody will make them afraid.’
The Lord will be with his people
Shout, you people in Israel!
Be very, very happy, my people in Jerusalem!
He has sent your enemy away.
I, the King of Israel, am with you!
The bad times have gone.
They will not happen again!
‘Do not be afraid now! Do not be weak now!
He is strong. He will save you.
He will be very happy about you!
He will quietly love you.
He will sing, because he is so happy about you!
You want to meet again to pray. And you want to meet again to
You have had enough cruel words from your enemies.
all those people who hurt you.
I will save those who cannot walk well.
I will bring back the people that the enemy has sent away.
I will cause people in every country to know about you. I will cause them to
I will bring you back together.
I will give you a good name among all the people on the earth.
That is what I will do. I will stop your troubles. And you will see it happen.’
That is what the Lord says.