Zechariah 8 ¶ Again the word of the LORD of the hosts came to me, saying,

EJ2000⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ ¶ Again the word of the LORD of the hosts came to me, saying, ² Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. ³ Thus hath the LORD said, I will restore Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called City of truth and the mountain of the LORD of the hosts, the mountain of holiness. ⁴ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Old men and old women shall yet dwell there in the streets of Jerusalem, and each one with his staff in his hand for the multitude of the days. ⁵ And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls who shall play in them. ⁶ Thus saith the LORD of the hosts, If this should appear difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be difficult in my eyes? saith the LORD of the hosts. ⁷ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Behold, I will save my people of the land of the east and of the land where the sun sets; ⁸ and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. ⁹ ¶ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, from the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of the hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. ¹⁰ For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men each one against his neighbour. ¹¹ But now I will not do unto the residue of this people as in the former days, said the LORD of the hosts. ¹² For the seed of peace shall remain; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her fruit, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all this. ¹³ And it shall come to pass that as ye were a curse among the Gentiles, O house of Judah and house of Israel; so will I save you that ye might be a blessing; fear not, but let your hands be strong. ¹⁴ For thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, As I thought to punish you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, said the LORD of the hosts, and I did not repent: ¹⁵ so again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not fear. ¹⁶ These are the things that ye shall do: Speak each one the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates; ¹⁷ and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, said the LORD. ¹⁸ ¶ And the word of the LORD of the hosts came unto me, saying, ¹⁹ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. ²⁰ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, It shall yet come to pass that there shall come people and the inhabitants of many cities ²¹ and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go to pray before the LORD and to seek the LORD of the hosts. And the other will respond: I will go also. ²² And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of the hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the LORD. ²³ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, In those days it shall come to pass that ten men of all the languages of the Gentiles shall take hold of the robe of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.