NETfree - Zephaniah - 3

3:1  The filthy, stained city is as good as dead; the city filled with oppressors is finished!

3:2  She is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the LORD; she does not seek the advice of her God.

3:3  Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.

3:4  Her prophets are proud; they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; they break God's laws.

3:5  The just LORD resides within her; he commits no unjust acts. Every morning he reveals his justice. At dawn he appears without fail. Yet the unjust know no shame.

3:6  "I destroyed nations; their walled cities are in ruins. I turned their streets into ruins; no one passes through them. Their cities are desolate; no one lives there.

3:7  I thought, 'Certainly you will respect me! Now you will accept correction!' If she had done so, her home would not be destroyed by all the punishments I have threatened. But they eagerly sinned in everything they did.

3:8  Therefore you must wait patiently for me," says the LORD, "for the day when I attack and take plunder. I have decided to gather nations together and assemble kingdoms, so I can pour out my fury on them - all my raging anger. For the whole earth will be consumed by my fiery anger.

3:9  Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the LORD's name when they pray, and will worship him in unison.

3:10  From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, those who pray to me will bring me tribute.

3:11  In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.

3:12  I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people, and they will find safety in the LORD's presence.

3:13  The Israelites who remain will not act deceitfully. They will not lie, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep and lie down; no one will terrify them."

3:14  Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!

3:15  The LORD has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel's king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster.

3:16  On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!

3:17  The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you."

3:18  "As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals - I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you.

3:19  Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them.

3:20  At that time I will lead you - at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you," says the LORD.