Zechariah 4:1-9

Good News Translation

The Vision of the Lampstand

4 The angel who had been speaking to me came again and roused me as if I had been sleeping. ² “What do you see?” he asked.

“A lampstand made of gold,” I answered. “At the top is a bowl for the oil. On the lampstand are seven lamps, each one with places for seven wicks. ^3 (A)There are two olive trees beside the lampstand, one on each side of it.” ⁴ Then I asked the angel, “What do these things stand for, sir?”

⁵ “Don't you know?” he asked me.

“No, I don't, sir,” I replied.

God's Promise to Zerubbabel

⁶ The angel told me to give Zerubbabel this message from the Lord: “You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit. ⁷ Obstacles as great as mountains will disappear before you. You will rebuild the Temple, and as you put the last stone in place, the people will shout, ‘Beautiful, beautiful!’”

⁸ Another message came to me from the Lord. ⁹ He said, “Zerubbabel has laid the foundation of the Temple, and he will finish the building. When this happens, my people will know that it is I who sent you to them. ^10a They are disappointed because so little progress is being made. But they will see Zerubbabel continuing to build the Temple, and they will be glad.”