The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (A)I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says the Lord: (B)I have returned to Zion and (C)will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, (D)and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, (E)and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. Thus says the Lord of hosts: (F)Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the Lord of hosts: (G)If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, (H)should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, (I)I will save my people (J)from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. (K)And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, (L)in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

Thus says the Lord of hosts: (M)“Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of (N)the prophets who were present on (O)the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

Read full chapter

The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

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

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)

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. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.(I)

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.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.(L) 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)

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.

Read full chapter