Old/New Testament
The Vision of the Flying Scroll
5 Then I turned and lifted up my eyes and saw a flying scroll.
2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
And I responded, “I see a flying scroll with its length as twenty cubits and its width as ten cubits.”[a]
3 He said to me, “This is the curse going out over the surface of all the land. Everyone who steals will be purged according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears falsely will be purged according to the writing on the other side. 4 I will send it out, says the Lord of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain in his house and consume it, with its timber and stones.”
The Vision of the Woman in the Basket
5 Then the angel who was speaking with me came out, saying, “Now lift up your eyes and see what this is that is going forth.”
6 And I asked, “What is it?”
He said, “This is the ephah basket going forth. This represents their iniquity throughout all the land.”
7 The lead cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the ephah basket. 8 And he said, “This is wickedness.” And he threw her back into the basket and then thrust back the lead stone over its opening.
9 Then I lifted my eyes and saw coming forward two women. There was wind in their wings, and the wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up and carried the ephah basket between heaven and earth.
10 Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”
11 He responded, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar. And when the house is established, the basket will be set there on a pedestal.”
The Vision of the Four Chariots
6 And I turned around and lifted my eyes, and I saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains, which were bronze mountains. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. 4 Then I answered the angel speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 The angel responded, “These are the four winds of heaven going out after standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the white ones are going after them, while the dappled ones are going toward the south country.”
7 When the strong horses went out, they were seeking to go to and fro throughout the earth. And he said, “Go out to and fro throughout the earth.” And they went out to walk to and fro throughout the earth.
8 Then he cried out to me, “Look, the ones going out to the northern land have given rest to my Spirit in the north.”
The Coronation of Joshua
9 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 10 Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah who have come from Babylon, and go on that day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him: Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Here is a man whose name is Branch; for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord; he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne. He shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 14 And the crown shall be for a memorial to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah, in the temple of the Lord. 15 And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord; and you all shall know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. This shall happen if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.
A Call for Justice and Mercy
7 And in the fourth year of King Darius, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Kislev, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah. 2 Those in Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek and their men to entreat the graces of the Lord, 3 saying to the priests and prophets of the house of the Lord of Hosts, “Should I weep and dedicate myself during the fifth month as I have done in these many years?”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 5 Say to all the people in the land and to the priests: When you fasted and lamented during the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for Me? 6 And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? 7 Were these not the very words that the former prophets proclaimed when Jerusalem dwelled with ease along with her surrounding cities, and when the Negev and the Lowland were inhabited?
Punishment for Rejecting God’s Demands
8 And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: 9 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother. 10 Do not oppress the widow, orphan, sojourner, or poor. And let none of you contemplate evil deeds in your hearts against his brother.
11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears so that they should not hear. 12 They made their hearts hard like a diamond so as not to hear the instruction and words that the Lord of Hosts sent by His Spirit through the former prophets, and there was great anger from the Lord of Hosts.
13 Therefore it happened that as I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear, says the Lord of Hosts. 14 So I scattered them about among all the nations whom they did not know, so the land was left desolate behind them with no one coming or going. And they made a desirable land desolate.
The Holy City of Peace and Prosperity
8 And the word of the Lord came, saying: 2 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, and with great wrath I am jealous for her.
3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will be called a city of faithfulness and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the holy mountain.
4 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Older men and women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each having a staff in his hand because of advanced age. 5 And the plazas of the city will be filled with young boys and girls playing in her open places.
6 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes? says the Lord of Hosts.
7 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I will deliver My people from the eastern lands and from the western lands. 8 And I will bring them, and they will reside in Jerusalem, and they will be for Me as a people, and I will be for them as God, with faithfulness and righteousness.
9 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Let your hands be strengthened, whoever is hearing these words in these days, from the mouth of the prophets who were there in the day that the house of the Lord of Hosts was founded, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there were no wages for a man nor any hire for an animal; and there was no peace from an enemy for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not be as in the former days against this remnant people, says the Lord of Hosts.
12 For sowing will be done in peace, and the vine will produce its fruit, and the ground will provide its produce, and the heavens will give their rain. And I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all of these benefits. 13 And as you have been like a curse among the nations, O house of Israel and house of Judah, I will deliver you, and you will be a blessing. Fear not, and strengthen your hands!
14 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Just as I had determined to punish you when your fathers incited Me to wrath, says the Lord of Hosts, I did not relent. 15 So again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! 16 These are the things you will do: Speak truth each to his neighbor, and make judgments in your gates that are for truth, and justice, and peace. 17 Let none of you consider evil plans in your heart against your neighbor, and do not love false oaths, for I hate all these things, says the Lord.
18 And the word of the Lord of Hosts came to me, saying:
19 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: The fast during the fourth and fifth months, and the fasts during the seventh and tenth months, will become rejoicing and joy and pleasant feasts for the house of Judah. So love what brings truth and peace.
20 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Peoples will still come, even those who live in many cities. 21 Those who live in one city will journey to another, saying, “Let us surely go to seek the Lord of Hosts. I myself am going.” 22 Many peoples and strong nations will seek out the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.
23 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: In those days ten men from every language of the nations will take hold of the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
19 After these things I heard a great sound of many people in heaven, shouting:
“Alleluia!
Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!
2 For true and righteous are His judgments,
because He has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality;
and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants.”
3 Again they said:
“Alleluia!
Her smoke rises forever and ever.”
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying:
“Amen! Alleluia!”
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God,
all you His servants
and those who fear Him,
both small and great!”
6 Then I heard something like the sound like a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying:
“Alleluia!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
7 Let us be glad and rejoice
and give Him glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His wife has made herself ready.
8 It was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white.”
Fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
10 I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you not do that. I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The Rider on the White Horse
11 I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. 14 The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. “He shall rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written:
KING OF KINGS
AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice to all the birds flying in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather for the supper of the great God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of strong men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great!”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 But the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. 21 The remnant were slain with the sword which proceeded out of the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.