1
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Zechariah received a message from the Lord in the fourth year that Darius was the king of Persia. This was on the fourth day of the ninth month (Kislev). |
2
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The people of Bethel sent Sharezer, Regem- Melech, and his men to ask the Lord a question. |
3
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They went to the prophets and to the priests at the Temple of the Lord All- Powerful. They asked them this question: "For many years we have shown our sadness for the destruction of the Temple. In the fifth month of each year we have had a special time of crying and fasting. Should we continue to do this?" |
4
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I received this message from the Lord All-Powerful: |
5
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"Tell the priests and the other people in this country this: 'For seventy years you fasted and showed your sadness in the fifth month and in the seventh month. But was that fasting really for me? |
6
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And when you ate and drank, was that for me? No, it was for your own good. |
7
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The Lord used the earlier prophets to say the same thing long ago. That was when Jerusalem was still a rich city filled with people and there were still people living in the surrounding towns, in the Negev, and in the western foothills.'" |
8
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This is the Lord's message to Zechariah: |
9
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"This is what the Lord All-Powerful said: 'You must do what is right and fair. You must be kind and show mercy to each other. |
10
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Don't hurt widows and orphans, strangers, or poor people. Don't even think of doing bad things to each other!'" |
11
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But they refused to listen and refused to do what he wanted. They closed their ears so that they could not hear what God said. |
12
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They were very stubborn and would not obey the law. The Lord All-Powerful used his Spirit and sent messages to his people through the prophets. But the people would not listen, so the Lord All-Powerful became very angry. |
13
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So the Lord All-Powerful said, "I called to them, and they did not answer. So now, if they call to me, I will not answer. |
14
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I will bring the other nations against them like a storm. They didn't know those nations, but the country will be destroyed after those nations pass through. This pleasant country will be destroyed." |
Zechariah 7:1 English Language Bible Words basic statistical display
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