15 The Lord has taken away (A)His judgments against you,
He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is (B)in your midst;
You will no longer (C)fear disaster.
16 (D)On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
(E)Do not be afraid, Zion;
(F)Do not let your hands fall limp.
17 The Lord your God is (G)in your midst,
A [a](H)victorious warrior.
He will (I)rejoice over you with joy,
He will [b]be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
18 I will gather those who are (J)worried about the appointed feasts—
They [c]came from you, Zion;
The disgrace of exile is a burden on [d]them.

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:17 Lit A warrior who saves
  2. Zephaniah 3:17 Or with some ancient versions, renew you in
  3. Zephaniah 3:18 Lit were
  4. Zephaniah 3:18 Lit her

15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
    he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
    you shall fear disaster no more.(A)
16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear, O Zion;
    do not let your hands grow weak.(B)
17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
    a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will renew you[a] in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing(C)
18     as on a day of festival.”[b]
I will remove disaster from you,[c]
    so that you will not bear reproach for it.

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Footnotes

  1. 3.17 Gk Syr: Heb he will be silent
  2. 3.18 Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 3.18 Cn: Heb I will remove from you; they were

15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath turned away thy enemies: the king of Israel the Lord is in the midst of thee, thou shalt fear evil no more.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not: to Sion: Let not thy hands be weakened.

17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save: he will rejoice over thee with gladness, he will be silent in his love, he will be joyful over thee in praise.

18 The triflers that were departed from the law, I will gather together, because they were of thee: that thou mayest no more suffer reproach for them.

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14-15 So sing, Daughter Zion!
    Raise your voices, Israel!
Daughter Jerusalem,
    be happy! celebrate!
God has reversed his judgments against you
    and sent your enemies off chasing their tails.
From now on, God is Israel’s king,
    in charge at the center.
There’s nothing to fear from evil
    ever again!

God Is Present Among You

16-17 Jerusalem will be told:
    “Don’t be afraid.
Dear Zion,
    don’t despair.
Your God is present among you,
    a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
    and delight you with his songs.

* * *

18-20 “The accumulated sorrows of your exile
    will dissipate.
I, your God, will get rid of them for you.
    You’ve carried those burdens long enough.
At the same time, I’ll get rid of all those
    who’ve made your life miserable.
I’ll heal the maimed;
    I’ll bring home the homeless.
In the very countries where they were hated
    they will be venerated.
On Judgment Day
    I’ll bring you back home—a great family gathering!
You’ll be famous and honored
    all over the world.
You’ll see it with your own eyes—
    all those painful partings turned into reunions!”
        God’s Promise.

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