Obedience and Feasting

8 The word of the Lord of Armies came: ² The Lord of Armies says this: ‘I am extremely jealous^(A) for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath.’ ³ The Lord says this: ‘I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City;^(B) the mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.’ ⁴ The Lord of Armies says this: ‘Old men and women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of their advanced age. ⁵ The streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in them.’ ⁶ The Lord of Armies says this: ‘Though it may seem impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible to me? ’ – this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. ⁷ The Lord of Armies says this: ‘I will save my people from the land of the east and the land of the west.^{[a] 8} I will bring them back^(C) to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.’^(D)

⁹ The Lord of Armies says this: ‘Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words that the prophets spoke when the foundations were laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of Armies. ¹⁰ For prior to those days neither people nor animals had wages. There was no safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I turned everyone against his neighbour. ¹¹ But now, I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days’ – this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. ¹² ‘For they will sow in peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the skies will yield their dew. I will give the remnant of this people all these things as an inheritance.^{(E) 13} As you have been a curse among the nations,^(F) house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing.^(G) Don’t be afraid; let your hands be strong.’ ¹⁴ For the Lord of Armies says this: ‘As I resolved to treat you badly when your ancestors provoked me to anger, and I did not relent,’ says the Lord of Armies, ¹⁵ ‘so I have resolved again in these days to do what is good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah.^(H) Don’t be afraid. ¹⁶ These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your city gates. ¹⁷ Do not plot evil^(I) in your hearts against your neighbour,^(J) and do not love perjury,^(K) for I hate all this’ – this is the Lord’s declaration.

¹⁸ Then the word of the Lord of Armies came to me: ¹⁹ The Lord of Armies says this: ‘The fast of the fourth month,^(L) the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth^(M) will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.’ ²⁰ The Lord of Armies says this: ‘Peoples will yet come, the residents of many cities; ²¹ the residents of one city will go to another, saying: Let’s go at once to plead for the Lord’s favour and to seek the Lord of Armies. I am also going. ²² Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of Armies in Jerusalem and to plead for the Lord’s favour.’^{(N) 23} The Lord of Armies says this: ‘In those days, ten men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you,^(O) for we have heard that God is with you.’