⁵¹ from the blood of Abel^(A) to the blood of Zechariah,^(B) who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.^(C)

²⁰ Then the Spirit^(A) of God came on Zechariah^(B) son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper.^(C) Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken^(D) you.’”

²¹ But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned^(E) him to death^(F) in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.^{(G) 22} King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”^(H)

⁴ By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended^(A) as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.^(B) And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.^(C)

³⁵ And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel^(A) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,^(B) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.^(C)

¹² Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(A) and murdered his brother.^(B) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^(C)

A Call to Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,^(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah^(B) son of Berekiah,^(C) the son of Iddo:^(D)

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”^[a] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.^(A)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”^(B)

“I don’t know,^(C)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹⁰ The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.^{(D) 11} Now you are under a curse^(E) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

²⁴ to Jesus the mediator^(A) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(B) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(C)

²⁸ Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.^(A) Truth^(B) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.