撒迦利亞書 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
對耶路撒冷的應許
8 萬軍之耶和華的話傳給了我，說： 2 「萬軍之耶和華說，『我對錫安充滿了火熱的愛，我為錫安而大發烈怒。 3 我要回到錫安，住在耶路撒冷。耶路撒冷必被稱為忠信之城，我的山必被稱為聖山。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 4 必再次有年紀老邁、手拿拐杖的男女坐在耶路撒冷的街上。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 5 街上必到處都是玩耍的男女孩童。』 6 萬軍之耶和華說，『那時，這事在這些餘民看來是不可能的，但在我看來毫不稀奇。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。』 7 萬軍之耶和華說，『看啊，我要從東方和西方救出我的子民， 8 帶他們回到耶路撒冷居住。他們要做我的子民，我要做他們信實和公義的上帝。』
9 「萬軍之耶和華說，『在奠立萬軍之耶和華殿的根基那天，眾先知都在場。現今聽見這些先知之言的人啊，你們要剛強，以便可以建造聖殿！ 10 那日之前，人和牲畜都得不到工錢。在敵人的威脅下，人們出入沒有平安。因為我使眾人彼此為敵。 11 如今我不會像從前那樣對待這些餘民了。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 12 因為他們必平安地撒種，葡萄樹必結果子，土地必出產五穀，天必降下甘霖，我要把這些福氣賜給這些餘民。 13 猶大家和以色列家啊，從前你們在列國中是受咒詛的，現在我要拯救你們，使你們成為蒙福的人。你們不要懼怕，要剛強。』
14 「萬軍之耶和華說，『從前你們的祖先惹我發怒，我決定毫不留情地降禍給他們。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 15 現在我決定賜福給耶路撒冷和猶大家。你們不要懼怕。 16 你們所當做的是彼此說真話，在城門口秉公斷案，使人和睦。 17 不可設陰謀彼此相害，不可以起假誓為樂，因為這些都是我所憎惡的。這是耶和華說的。』」
18 萬軍之耶和華的話傳給了我，說： 19 「萬軍之耶和華說，『四月、五月、七月、十月的禁食必成為猶大家歡喜快樂的日子和幸福的節期。因此，你們要喜愛真理與和平。 20 各族的人和各城的居民都必來這裡。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 21 這一城的居民必到那一城，說，我們快去向耶和華求恩，去尋求萬軍之耶和華吧！我自己也去。 22 各民族和各強國必來耶路撒冷尋求萬軍之耶和華，向耶和華求恩。 23 那時，十個來自列國、講不同語言的人必拉住一個猶大人的衣角，說，讓我們跟你們同去吧，因為我們聽說上帝與你們同在。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。』」
Zechariah 8
The Voice
8 1-2 The word of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, came, this time bringing a series of five short messages about hope.
Eternal One: First, I have a jealous desire to be among My people in Zion. I want it more than anything. I am burning with angry jealousy for her and her welfare.
3 Second, I will return to Zion and live in the heart of Jerusalem. So it will then be known far and wide as the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, will be called Holy Mountain.
4 Third, elderly men and women will sit in Jerusalem’s streets with staffs in hand because of their old age. 5 The city streets will bustle with boys and girls playing outside on the roads and in the squares.
Ultimately, God’s purpose is redeeming His fallen creation. He initiated His plan of redemption by calling and equipping the children of Abraham to be a light to the nations. Zechariah foresees a day when Jerusalem is the center of the world; when people of every race, creed, and color journey to it; and when the Jews show the rest of the world the way to the one True God.
After chapter 8, the Book of Zechariah changes—its tone, its character, its focus. Chapters 1–8 have been about the people and times immediately after the exile ended, a period when Persia ruled the world. Chapters 9–14 seem removed from that world, its people, and its interests—but just how far removed is uncertain. It is possible that these last chapters were not written by Zechariah, and the debate about who wrote them and when they were written has raged since Jesus died. In 27:9-10 of his Gospel, Matthew identifies the author as Jeremiah, a forerunner of Zechariah. More recent scholarship has further confused the matter because the setting in chapter 9 could describe any time in Jerusalem between Hezekiah’s rule before the exile and the Maccabean revolts 400 years later. This inability to positively identify the author and the audience, along with the lack of historical, contextual markers in the text itself, make these words universally applicable. They may even describe the end time when God judges the nations.
6 Fourth, this may come as a surprise to the remnant of these people, eking out an existence during these harsh days, but what is surprising to you is not for Me.
7 Fifth, I will rescue My people from far and wide, from east to west across the land, 8 and I will bring them home to live in peace in Jerusalem where they will be My people once more. I will be truthful and just to them as their God.
9 Here is an encouragement from the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.
Eternal One: To those of you who have been listening recently to My words through the prophets, who were working for Me when the foundation of the house of the Eternal One was being laid just decades ago, keep yourselves strong so that the temple walls may now be built. 10 Before then no one could earn a living in Jerusalem or in exile. Neither men nor their animals could find work. No one could move about safely for fear of his enemies because I had turned every man against each other. 11 However, that was the past. I, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, promise I will not treat the remnant of My people as I once did. 12 What you witness now will be very different—a new day when seeds of peace will be sown in fertile soil. The seeds will grow into sheaves of wheat, and the vines will produce luscious grapes. The ground will yield its crops, and pleasant dew will again fall from the heavens. And I will give these things to My remnant as their inheritance. 13 Because you, people of Judah and Israel, were once the objects of scorn among the nations, I will rescue you and you will become a blessing. Don’t be afraid, and keep yourselves strong.
14 When your ancestors angered Me, I was determined to bring disaster to your generation as well as theirs, and I refused to change My plan. 15 All the same, I have now determined to do good for Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Don’t be afraid. 16 Here are the things you must do: Speak truth to each other. Pursue justice in your courts. Render decisions that reflect truth and bring peace to the community. 17 Do not conspire to bring harm against one another. Do not make promises you don’t intend to keep. I hate all these things.
So said the Eternal.
18 The word of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, came to me with three brief messages about a happy future for His people and the entire world.
Eternal One: 19 From now on, the fasting times of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be happy occasions and times of celebration for the people of Judah. So you should love truth and pursue peace.
20 Many people from many cities will come streaming to My holy city. 21 The citizens from one of these cities will approach the citizens of another and say, “You must come with me. Let’s journey to Jerusalem to seek the blessings of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, and ask for His favor directly. I am certainly going.”
22 That is why many people and powerful nations will come together as one to Jerusalem to seek the blessings of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, and ask for His favor directly.
Eternal One: 23 A day is coming when 10 men, people from every nation speaking every language will grab the cloak of a Jew and beg him, “Let us come with you because we have heard the True God is among you and we want Him to save us, too.”
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.