New Heavens and a New Earth

²¹ and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.^{(A) 22} I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.^(B) There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.^{(C) 23} They will no longer defile^(D) themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding,^[a](E) and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.^(F)

²⁴ “‘My servant David^(G) will be king^(H) over them, and they will all have one shepherd.^(I) They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.^{(J) 25} They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived.^(K) They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever,^(L) and David my servant will be their prince forever.^{(M) 26} I will make a covenant of peace^(N) with them; it will be an everlasting covenant.^(O) I will establish them and increase their numbers,^(P) and I will put my sanctuary among them^(Q) forever.^{(R) 27} My dwelling place^(S) will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.^{(T) 28} Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy,^(U) when my sanctuary is among them forever.^(V)’”

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^(A) for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

³ This is what the Lord says: “I will return^(B) to Zion^(C) and dwell in Jerusalem.^(D) Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,^(E) and the mountain^(F) of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.^(G)”

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

⁶ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,^(J) but will it seem marvelous to me?^(K)” 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.^{(L) 8} I will bring them back^(M) to live^(N) in Jerusalem; they will be my people,^(O) and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.^(P)”

⁹ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong^(Q) so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets^(R) said who were present when the foundation^(S) was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁰ Before that time there were no wages^(T) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely^(U) 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,”^(V) declares the Lord Almighty.

¹² “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,^(W) the ground will produce its crops,^(X) and the heavens will drop their dew.^(Y) I will give all these things as an inheritance^(Z) to the remnant of this people.^{(AA) 13} Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse^[a](AB) among the nations, so I will save^(AC) you, and you will be a blessing.^[b](AD) Do not be afraid,^(AE) but let your hands be strong.^(AF)”

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