Zephaniah · Unlocked Literal Bible
Zephaniah 3 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Woe to the rebellious city! The violent city is defiled.
1 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
2 She has not listened to the voice of God, nor accepted correction from Yahweh. She does not trust in Yahweh and will not approach her God.
2 She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in Yahweh. She didn’t draw near to her God.
3 Her princes are roaring lions in her midst. Her judges are evening wolves who leave nothing to be gnawed upon in the morning.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
4 Her prophets are insolent and treasonous men. Her priests have profaned what is holy and have done violence to the law.
4 Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
5 Yahweh is righteous in her midst. He can do no wrong. Morning by morning he will dispense his justice! It will not be hidden in the light, yet unrighteous people know no shame.
5 Yahweh, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.
6 “I have destroyed nations; their fortresses are ruined. I have made their streets ruins, so that no one passes over them. Their cities are destroyed so that there is no man inhabiting them.
6 I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.
7 I said, 'Surely you will fear me. Accept correction and do not be cut off from your homes by all that I have planned to do to you.' But they were eager to begin each morning by corrupting all their deeds.
7 I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
8 Therefore wait for me—this is Yahweh's declaration—until the day that I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms, to pour out on them my anger—all of my burning wrath; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth will be consumed.
8 “Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 But then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call upon the name of Yahweh to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on Yahweh’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the river of Cush my worshipers—my scattered people—will bring offerings due me.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
11 In that day you will not be put to shame for all your deeds that you committed against me, since at that time I will remove from among you those who celebrated your pride, and because you will no longer act arrogantly on my holy mountain.
11 In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.
12 But I will leave among you a lowly and poor people, and they will find refuge in the name of Yahweh.
12 But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name.
13 The remnant of Israel will no longer commit injustice or speak lies, and no deceitful tongue will be found in their mouth; so they will graze and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”
13 The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”
14 Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel. Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
14 Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 Yahweh has taken away your punishment; he has driven out your enemies! Yahweh is the king of Israel among you. You will never again fear evil!
15 Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
16 In that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion. Do not let your hands falter.
16 In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”
17 Yahweh your God is among you, a mighty one to save you. He will celebrate over you with joy; he will be silent over you in his love; he will be glad over you with a shout for joy.
17 Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
18 I will gather those who grieve, those who cannot attend the appointed feasts, so you will no longer bear any shame for it.
18 I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
19 Behold, I am about to deal with all your oppressors. At that time, I will rescue the lame and gather up the outcast. I will make them as praise, and I will change their shame into renown in all the earth.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth.
20 At that time I will lead you; at that time I will gather you together. I will make all the nations of the earth respect and praise you, when you see that I restored you,” says Yahweh.
20 At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says Yahweh.
Cross references (20)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Jeremiah 6:6; Isaiah 59:13; Isaiah 30:12; Malachi 3:5; Zechariah 7:10
- 2 Jeremiah 5:3; Jeremiah 22:21; Psalm 73:28; Jeremiah 7:23–28; Psalm 78:22
- 3 Habakkuk 1:8; Ezekiel 22:25–27; Jeremiah 5:6; Psalm 10:8–10; Micah 3:1–4
- 4 Ezekiel 22:26; Lamentations 2:14; Hosea 9:7; Malachi 2:8; Micah 3:5–6
- 5 Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 145:17; Lamentations 3:23; Zephaniah 3:15; Isaiah 12:6
- 6 Zephaniah 2:5; 1 Corinthians 10:6; Jeremiah 25:9–11; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Isaiah 37:24–26
- 7 Hosea 9:9; Jeremiah 36:3; Zephaniah 3:2; Micah 2:1–2; Jeremiah 7:7
- 8 Joel 3:2; Zephaniah 1:18; Psalm 27:14; Micah 7:7; 2 Peter 3:10
- 9 Genesis 11:1; Isaiah 19:18; Psalm 22:27; Acts 2:4–13; Psalm 86:9–10
- 10 Isaiah 11:11; Psalm 68:31; Isaiah 18:1; Romans 15:16; 1 Peter 1:1
- 11 Isaiah 54:4; Isaiah 11:9; Joel 2:26–27; Isaiah 61:7; Daniel 9:16
- 12 Nahum 1:7; Isaiah 14:32; Zechariah 13:8–9; Isaiah 61:1–3; Isaiah 50:10
- 13 Revelation 14:5; Zephaniah 2:7; Micah 4:7; Isaiah 60:21; Micah 4:4
- 14 Isaiah 12:6; Micah 4:8; Zechariah 2:10–11; Psalm 95:1–2; Isaiah 65:18–19
- 15 Isaiah 51:22; Isaiah 60:18; Zephaniah 3:5; Amos 9:15; Ezekiel 39:29
- 16 Hebrews 12:12; Isaiah 35:3–4; Isaiah 41:10; Ephesians 3:13; Galatians 6:9
- 17 Psalm 149:4; Psalm 147:11; Hebrews 7:25; Isaiah 62:4–5; Jeremiah 32:41
- 18 Psalm 42:2–4; Zephaniah 3:20; Ezekiel 36:24; Lamentations 2:6–7; Lamentations 1:4
- 19 Isaiah 49:25–26; Isaiah 60:14; Jeremiah 30:16; Zephaniah 3:15; Micah 7:10
- 20 Malachi 3:12; Jeremiah 29:14; Isaiah 56:5; Isaiah 60:15; Joel 3:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, in the day of my resurrection, in the future; because it is my determination to assemble the nations, and gather together the kingdoms." And again he says, "The Lord will be terrible upon them, and will exterminate all the gods of the earth; and they shall worship Him every man from his place, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
And farther on in the same context of Scripture He says, Therefore wait thou for Me, saith the Lord, until the day of My Resurrection at the Testimony.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
And I will leave in thee a meek and humble people, and they who shall be left of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord." These are the remnant of whom the apostle quotes that which is elsewhere prophesied: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved." …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
In the words of the Prophet that follow in the same context, He says plainly, For then will I turn to the peoples a language: since, after the Resurrection, when the Holy Ghost was sent forth the gift of tongues was granted, that they might serve the Lord under one yoke.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)