Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting

7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah^(A) on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.^{(B) 2} The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat^(C) the Lord^{(D) 3} by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn^(E) and fast in the fifth^(F) month, as I have done for so many years?”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: ⁵ “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted^(G) and mourned in the fifth and seventh^(H) months for the past seventy years,^(I) was it really for me that you fasted? ⁶ And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?^{(J) 7} Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets^(K) when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest^(L) and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills^(M) were settled?’”^(N)

⁸ And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: ⁹ “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice;^(O) show mercy and compassion to one another.^{(P) 10} Do not oppress the widow^(Q) or the fatherless, the foreigner^(R) or the poor.^(S) Do not plot evil against each other.’^(T)

¹¹ “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly^(U) they turned their backs^(V) and covered their ears.^{(W) 12} They made their hearts as hard as flint^(X) and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.^(Y) So the Lord Almighty was very angry.^(Z)

¹³ “‘When I called, they did not listen;^(AA) so when they called, I would not listen,’^(AB) says the Lord Almighty.^{(AC) 14} ‘I scattered^(AD) them with a whirlwind^(AE) among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it.^(AF) This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.^(AG)’”

The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

8 The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

² This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous^(AH) for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

³ This is what the Lord says: “I will return^(AI) to Zion^(AJ) and dwell in Jerusalem.^(AK) Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,^(AL) and the mountain^(AM) of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.^(AN)”

⁴ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem,^(AO) each of them with cane in hand because of their age. ⁵ The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.^(AP)”

⁶ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,^(AQ) but will it seem marvelous to me?^(AR)” declares the Lord Almighty.

⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.^{(AS) 8} I will bring them back^(AT) to live^(AU) in Jerusalem; they will be my people,^(AV) and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.^(AW)”

⁹ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong^(AX) so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets^(AY) said who were present when the foundation^(AZ) was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁰ Before that time there were no wages^(BA) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely^(BB) because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. ¹¹ But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,”^(BC) declares the Lord Almighty.

¹² “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,^(BD) the ground will produce its crops,^(BE) and the heavens will drop their dew.^(BF) I will give all these things as an inheritance^(BG) to the remnant of this people.^{(BH) 13} Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse^[a](BI) among the nations, so I will save^(BJ) you, and you will be a blessing.^[b](BK) Do not be afraid,^(BL) but let your hands be strong.^(BM)”

¹⁴ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster^(BN) on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, ¹⁵ “so now I have determined to do good^(BO) again to Jerusalem and Judah.^(BP) Do not be afraid. ¹⁶ These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth^(BQ) to each other, and render true and sound judgment^(BR) in your courts;^{(BS) 17} do not plot evil^(BT) against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.^(BU) I hate all this,” declares the Lord.

¹⁸ The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

¹⁹ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth,^(BV) fifth,^(BW) seventh^(BX) and tenth^(BY) months will become joyful^(BZ) and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth^(CA) and peace.”

²⁰ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, ²¹ and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat^(CB) the Lord and seek^(CC) the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ ²² And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”^(CD)

²³ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”^(CE)

Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels^(A) who had the seven bowls^(B) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment^(C) of the great prostitute,^(D) who sits by many waters.^{(E) 2} With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”^(F)

³ Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit^(G) into a wilderness.^(H) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet^(I) beast that was covered with blasphemous names^(J) and had seven heads and ten horns.^{(K) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.^(L) She held a golden cup^(M) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.^{(N) 5} The name written on her forehead was a mystery:^(O)

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,^(R) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷ Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery^(S) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.^{(T) 8} The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss^(U) and go to its destruction.^(V) The inhabitants of the earth^(W) whose names have not been written in the book of life^(X) from the creation of the world will be astonished^(Y) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹ “This calls for a mind with wisdom.^(Z) The seven heads^(AA) are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast who once was, and now is not,^(AB) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹² “The ten horns^(AC) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour^(AD) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.^{(AE) 14} They will wage war^(AF) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over^(AG) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings^(AH)—and with him will be his called, chosen^(AI) and faithful followers.”

¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, “The waters^(AJ) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.^{(AK) 16} The beast and the ten horns^(AL) you saw will hate the prostitute.^(AM) They will bring her to ruin^(AN) and leave her naked;^(AO) they will eat her flesh^(AP) and burn her with fire.^{(AQ) 17} For God has put it into their hearts^(AR) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,^(AS) until God’s words are fulfilled.^{(AT) 18} The woman you saw is the great city^(AU) that rules over the kings of the earth.”