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    I said to Myself, “Surely My people will honor Me.
        Surely they will listen to Me
    So they can save themselves and their city
        from all I warned them about and appointed for their benefit.”
    But no, they were even more eager to keep doing all the wrong things.

    To My remaining faithful, I say wait and watch for Me
        because on that day, the nations will be called into court.
    I will rise up against them as My plunder and declare My decision:
        I will call the nations and their rulers together
    And pour out My hot anger and frustration on them.
        All of it will be spent, for the whole earth will be burned up in My fiery jealousy.
    And then I will transform the words spoken by the nations to pure words,
        and the people will finally hear My truth.
    Then all the people will be able to pray to and serve the Eternal One,
        standing together as part of the same people.

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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