1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:
1:5 I will remove those who worship the stars in the sky from their rooftops,
those who swear allegiance to the Lord while taking oaths in the name of their ‘king,’
1:8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrificial meal,
I will punish the princes and the king’s sons,
and all who wear foreign styles of clothing.
1:10 On that day,” says the Lord,
“a loud cry will go up from the Fish Gate,
wailing from the city’s newer district,
and a loud crash from the hills.
1:12 At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps.
I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin,
those who think to themselves,
‘The Lord neither rewards nor punishes.’
1:17 I will bring distress on the people
and they will stumble like blind men,
for they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dirt;
their flesh will be scattered like manure.
2:5 Those who live by the sea, the people who came from Crete, are as good as dead.
The Lord has decreed your downfall, Canaan, land of the Philistines:
“I will destroy everyone who lives there!”
3:5 The just Lord resides within her;
he commits no unjust acts.
Every morning he reveals his justice.
At dawn he appears without fail.
Yet the unjust know no shame.
3:9 Know for sure that I will then enable
the nations to give me acceptable praise.
All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray,
and will worship him in unison.
3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you.”
3:20 At that time I will lead you –
at the time I gather you together.
Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you
when you see me restore you,” says the Lord.