Zephaniah 3:14-20

The Lord will be with his people

14 Sing, you people in Zion. You are my own people, like my own daughter.

Shout, you people in Israel!

Be very, very happy, my people in Jerusalem!

15 The Lord has not punished you as he would have done.

He has sent your enemy away.

I, the King of Israel, am with you!

The bad times have gone.

They will not happen again!

16 On that special day, this will be my message for Jerusalem.

‘Do not be afraid now! Do not be weak now!

17 The Lord, your God, is with you.

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!

18 I will bring together those people among you who want to meet together again.

You want to meet again to pray. And you want to meet again to praise God.

You have had enough cruel words from your enemies.

19 Look! At that time, I will punish

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 praise you.

20 At that time, I will bring you back to your home.

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.