Zephaniah 3

¹ Woe to her that is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city!

² She listens to no voice, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD, she does not draw near to her God.

³ Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.

⁴ Her prophets are wanton, faithless men; her priests profane what is sacred, they do violence to the law.

⁵ The LORD within her is righteous, he does no wrong; every morning he shows forth his justice, each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.

⁶ "I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that none walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.

⁷ I said, 'Surely she will fear me, she will accept correction; she will not lose sight of all that I have enjoined upon her.' But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt."

⁸ "Therefore wait for me," says the LORD, "for the day when I arise as a witness. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all the heat of my anger; for in the fire of my jealous wrath all the earth shall be consumed.

⁹ "Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.

¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.

¹¹ "On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain.

¹² For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,

¹³ those who are left in Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall pasture and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."

¹⁴ Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

¹⁵ The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.

¹⁶ On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

¹⁷ The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

¹⁸ as on a day of festival. "I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.

¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.

²⁰ At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together; yea, I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes," says the LORD.