Zechariah 8:9-19

English Standard Version

⁹ Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(A)“Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of ^(B)the prophets who were present on ^(C)the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. ¹⁰ For before those days ^(D)there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. ¹¹ But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. ^12 (E)For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, ^(F)and the heavens shall give their dew. ^(G)And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. ¹³ And as ^(H)you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, ^(I)so will I save you, and ^(J)you shall be a blessing. ^(K)Fear not, but ^(L)let your hands be strong.”

¹⁴ For thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(M)“As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, ¹⁵ so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; ^(N)fear not. ¹⁶ These are the things that you shall do: ^(O)Speak the truth to one another; ^(P)render in your gates judgments ^(Q)that are true and make for peace; ^17 (R)do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and ^(S)love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.”

¹⁸ And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, ¹⁹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the ^(T)fourth month and the fast of the ^(U)fifth and the fast of the ^(V)seventh and the fast of the ^(W)tenth shall be to the house of Judah ^(X)seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love ^(Y)truth and peace.