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Punishment and Conversion of the Nations

Therefore wait for me, says the Lord,
    for the day when I arise as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
    to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
    all the heat of my anger,
for in the fire of my passion
    all the earth shall be consumed.(A)

At that time I will change the speech of the peoples
    to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
    and serve him with one accord.(B)
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
    my suppliants, my scattered ones,
    shall bring my offering.(C)

11 On that day you shall not be put to shame
    because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
    your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
    in my holy mountain.(D)
12 For I will leave in the midst of you
    a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord(E)
13     the remnant of Israel;
they shall do no wrong
    and utter no lies,
nor shall a deceitful tongue
    be found in their mouths.
Then they will pasture and lie down,
    and no one shall make them afraid.(F)

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The Future Deliverance of Israel

“Just you wait!” declares the Lord.
    “The day will come when I stand up as a prosecutor,[a]
for I am determined to assemble the nations
    and to gather the kingdoms,
in order to pour out my indignation upon them—
    all of my fierce anger.
All the earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy.
Indeed, then I will return my people to a pure language[b]
    so that they all may call upon the name of the Lord,
        serving him with a united will.[c]

10 “From beyond the rivers of Sudan[d] my worshipers[e]
    including my dispersed people—
        will present offerings to me.
11 When this happens,[f] you will not be ashamed of your actions
    by which you sinned against me,
because I will remove from among you those who revel in pride.
    Arrogance will have no place in my holy mountain.
12 I will keep a humble and gentle people among you,
    and they will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The survivors of Israel will not practice lawlessness
    nor tell lies,
nor will a deceitful message be found in their mouths,
    because they will eat and rest,
        with no one to cause fear.”

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:8 Or witness
  2. Zephaniah 3:9 Or to pure lips
  3. Zephaniah 3:9 Lit. shoulder
  4. Zephaniah 3:10 Or Ethiopia; Lit. Cush
  5. Zephaniah 3:10 Lit. incense burners
  6. Zephaniah 3:11 Lit. On that day