Judah’s Security

12 An Oracle

² “Look, I will make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering^(C) for the peoples who surround the city. The siege against Jerusalem will also involve Judah. ³ On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who try to lift it will injure themselves severely when all the nations of the earth gather against her.^{(D) 4} On that day”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness.^(E) I will keep a watchful eye on^(F) the house of Judah but strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. ⁵ Then each of the leaders of Judah will think to himself: The residents of Jerusalem are my strength through the Lord of Hosts, their God. ⁶ On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and the left, while Jerusalem continues to be inhabited on its site, in Jerusalem. ⁷ The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of David’s house and the glory of Jerusalem’s residents may not be greater than that of Judah. ⁸ On that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that on that day the one who is weakest among them will be like David on that day, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the Lord, before them. ⁹ On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Mourning for the Pierced One

¹⁰ “Then I will pour out a spirit^[a](G) of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at^[b] Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for Him as one weeps for a firstborn.^{(H) 11} On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. ¹² The land will mourn, every family by itself: the family of David’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Nathan’s^[c](I) house by itself and their women by themselves; ¹³ the family of Levi’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Shimei^[d](J) by itself and their women by themselves; ¹⁴ all the remaining families, every family by itself, and their women by themselves.

God’s People Cleansed

13 “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.^{(K) 2} On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will remove the prophets^[e] and the unclean spirit from the land. ³ If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will say to him: You cannot remain alive because you have spoken falsely in the name of Yahweh. When he prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will pierce him through.^{(L) 4} On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not put on a hairy cloak^(M) in order to deceive. ⁵ He will say: I am not a prophet; I work the land, for a man purchased^[f] me as a servant since my youth.^{(N) 6} If someone asks him: What are these wounds^(O) on your chest?^[g]—then he will answer: I received the wounds in the house of my friends.

The Lord’s Triumph and Reign

14 A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence. ² I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle.^(Q) The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.

³ Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations as He fights on a day of battle.^{(R) 4} On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,^(S) which faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. ⁵ You will flee by My mountain valley,^[i] for the valley of the mountains will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled^[j] from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah.^(T) Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with Him.^[k](U)

⁶ On that day there will be no light; the sunlight and moonlight^[l] will diminish.^{[m](V) 7} It will be a day known only to Yahweh,^(W) without day or night, but there will be light at evening.

⁸ On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem,^(X) half of it toward the eastern sea^[n] and the other half toward the western sea,^[o] in summer and winter alike. ⁹ On that day Yahweh will become King over all the earth^(Y)—Yahweh alone, and His name alone.^{(Z) 10} All the land from Geba^(AA) to Rimmon^(AB) south of Jerusalem will be changed into a plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain^[p] on its site from the Benjamin Gate^(AC) to the place of the First Gate,^[q] to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses.^{(AD) 11} People will live there, and never again will there be a curse of complete destruction. So Jerusalem will dwell in security.

¹² This will be the plague the Lord strikes all the peoples with, who have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. ¹³ On that day a great panic from the Lord will be among them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of one will rise against the other. ¹⁴ Judah will also fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected: gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance.^{(AE) 15} The same plague as the previous one will strike^[r] the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the animals that are in those camps.

¹⁶ Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths.^{(AF) 17} Should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, rain will not fall on them. ¹⁸ And if the people^[s] of Egypt will not go up and enter, then rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague the Lord inflicts on the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths. ¹⁹ This will be the punishment of Egypt and all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.

²⁰ On that day, the words

will be on the bells of the horses.^(AG) The pots in the house of the Lord will be like the sprinkling basins before the altar. ²¹ Every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of Hosts. Everyone who sacrifices will come and take some of the pots to cook in. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite^[t] in the house of the Lord of Hosts.

Greeting

1 Paul^(A) and Timothy,^(B) slaves of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,^(C) including the overseers^(D) and deacons.^(E)

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,^{[a] 4} always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day^(F) until now.^{(G) 6} I am sure of this, that He who started a good work^(H) in you^[b] will carry it on to completion^(I) until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ It is right^(J) for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,^[c] and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment^(K) and in the defense^(L) and establishment of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness,^(M) how deeply I miss all of you^(N) with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And I pray this: that your love^(O) will keep on growing^(P) in knowledge and every kind of discernment,^{(Q) 10} so that you can approve the things that are superior^(R) and can be pure^(S) and blameless^(T) in^[d] the day of Christ,^{(U) 11} filled with the fruit^(V) of righteousness^(W) that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory^(X) and praise of God.

Advance of the Gospel

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel,^{(Y) 13} so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard,^[e] and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is in the cause of Christ. ¹⁴ Most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the message^[f](Z) fearlessly. ¹⁵ To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and strife,^(AA) but others out of good will.^{[g] 16} These do so out of love,^(AB) knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; ¹⁷ the others proclaim Christ out of rivalry,^(AC) not sincerely, seeking to cause me anxiety in my imprisonment.^{[h] 18} What does it matter? Just that in every way, whether out of false motives^(AD) or true, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice ¹⁹ because I know this will lead to my deliverance^[i](AE) through your prayers and help from the Spirit^(AF) of Jesus Christ.^{(AG) 20} My eager expectation and hope^(AH) is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life^(AI) or by death.^(AJ)

Living Is Christ

²¹ For me, living is Christ^(AK) and dying is gain.^{(AL) 22} Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful^(AM) work^(AN) for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. ²³ I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ^(AO)—which is far better^(AP)— ²⁴ but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. ²⁵ Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,^{(AQ) 26} so that, because of me, your confidence may grow^(AR) in Christ Jesus^(AS) when I come to you again.

²⁷ Just one thing: Live your life^(AT) in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm^(AU) in one^(AV) spirit, with one mind,^[j] working side by side for the faith^(AW) that comes from the gospel, ²⁸ not being frightened in any way by your opponents.^(AX) This is a sign of destruction for them,^(AY) but of your deliverance^(AZ)—and this is from God. ²⁹ For it has been given to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe^(BA) in Him, but also to suffer for Him, ³⁰ having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.