²⁶ And people shall come from ^(A)the cities of Judah ^(B)and the places around Jerusalem, ^(C)from the land of Benjamin, ^(D)from the Shephelah, from the hill country, ^(E)and from ^(F)the Negeb, bringing ^(G)burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and ^(H)bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord.

^7 (A)Were not these the words that the Lord proclaimed ^(B)by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, ^(C)with her cities around her, and the ^(D)South and the ^(E)lowland were inhabited?’”

^13 (A)In the cities of the hill country, ^(B)in the cities of the Shephelah, ^(C)and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, ^(D)the places about Jerusalem, ^(E)and in the cities of Judah, ^(F)flocks shall again pass under the hands ^(G)of the one who counts them, says the Lord.

⁴⁴ Fields shall be bought for money, and ^(A)deeds shall be signed and ^(B)sealed and ^(C)witnessed, ^(D)in the land of Benjamin, ^(E)in the places about Jerusalem, ^(F)and in the cities of Judah, ^(G)in the cities of the hill country, ^(H)in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb; for ^(I)I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord.”

^11 (A)the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring ^(B)thank offerings to the house of the Lord:

^(D)For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

⁵ and from Jesus Christ ^(A)the faithful witness, ^(B)the firstborn of the dead, and ^(C)the ruler of kings on earth.

To ^(D)him who loves us and ^(E)has freed us from our sins by his blood

⁹ But you are ^(A)a chosen race, ^(B)a royal ^(C)priesthood, ^(D)a holy nation, ^(E)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you ^(F)out of darkness into ^(G)his marvelous light. ^10 (H)Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.