1 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying,

2 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousy, and with great fury am I jealous for her.

3 Thus hath said the Lord, I return unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mount of the Lord of hosts, The holy mount.

4 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Again shall there sit old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, and every one with his staff in his hand because of their multitude of years.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in her streets.

6 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, If it should be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.

7 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the country of the setting of the sun;

8 And I will bring them back, that they may dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be unto me for a people, and I will be unto them for a God, in truth and in righteousness.

9 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words out of the mouth of the prophets, who spoke on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, when the temple was to be built.

10 For before those days there was no reward for man, nor any reward for beast; and for him that went out or came in there was no peace, because of the oppressor: and I let loose all men, every one against his neighbor.

11 But now I am no more as in the former days unto the residue of this people, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 For the seed shall be undisturbed; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give her production, and the heavens shall give their dew: and I will bestow on the remnant of this people all these things.

13 And it shall come to pass, that, in the same degree as ye have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing: fear not; let your hands be strong.

14 For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, As I had purposed to do you evil, when your fathers incensed me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I bethought myself not:

15 So do I again purpose in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear ye not.

16 These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye the truth every man to his neighbor; with truth and the judgment of peace judge ye in your gates;

17 And let none of you think evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love not a false oath, for all these are what I hate, saith the Lord.

18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,

19 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth month, shall become to the house of Judah gladness and joy, and merry festivals: only love ye the truth and peace.

20 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, A time shall yet be when there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities;

21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us only go to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I too will likewise go.

22 And many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.

23 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, In those days it shall happen, that ten men out of all the languages of the nations shall take hold––yea, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, Let us go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.