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God felt certain that Jerusalem
would learn to respect
    and obey him.
Then he would hold back
from punishing the city
    and not wipe it out.
But everyone there was eager
    to start sinning again.

Nations Will Turn to the Lord

The Lord said:
Just wait for the day
    when I accuse you nations.
I have decided on a day,
    when I will bring together
every nation and kingdom
and punish them all
    in my fiery anger.
I will become furious
    and destroy the earth.

I will purify each language
and make those languages
    acceptable for praising me.[a]
Then, with hearts united,
everyone will serve
    only me, the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. 3.9 I will … praising me: Or “I will change the hearts of all people and make them fit for praising me.”

Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(A)
Then her place of refuge[a] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon[b] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly(B) in all they did.
Therefore wait(C) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.[c]
I have decided to assemble(D) the nations,(E)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath(F) on them—
    all my fierce anger.(G)
The whole world will be consumed(H)
    by the fire of my jealous anger.

Restoration of Israel’s Remnant

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
    that all of them may call(I) on the name of the Lord(J)
    and serve(K) him shoulder to shoulder.

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:7 Or her sanctuary
  2. Zephaniah 3:7 Or all those I appointed over
  3. Zephaniah 3:8 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew will rise up to plunder