Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
1Blow the horn in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; in fact, it is near-- | 1Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem ! Raise the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the LORD is upon us. |
2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come. | 2It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again. |
3A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. | 3Fire burns in front of them, and flames follow after them. Ahead of them the land lies as beautiful as the Garden of Eden. Behind them is nothing but desolation; not one thing escapes. |
4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses. | 4They look like horses; they charge forward like warhorses. |
5They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war. | 5Look at them as they leap along the mountaintops. Listen to the noise they make—like the rumbling of chariots, like the roar of fire sweeping across a field of stubble, or like a mighty army moving into battle. |
6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale. | 6Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror. |
7They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course. | 7The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank. |
8They do not push each other; each proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping. | 8They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step. |
9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves. | 9They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows. |
10The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining. | 10The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine. |
11The LORD makes his voice heard in the presence of his army. His camp is very large; those who carry out his command are powerful. Indeed, the day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful--who can endure it? | 11The LORD is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the LORD is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? A Call to Repentance |
12Even now--this is the LORD's declaration--turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. | 12That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. |
13Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster. | 13Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. |
14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him, so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD your God. | 14Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the LORD your God as before. |
15Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. | 15Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. |
16Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the infants, even babies nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber. | 16Gather all the people— the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room. |
17Let the priests, the LORD's ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say: "Have pity on your people, LORD, and do not make your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" | 17Let the priests, who minister in the LORD’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, LORD! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’” The LORD’s Promise of Restoration |
18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and spared his people. | 18Then the LORD will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. |
19The LORD answered his people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and fresh oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. | 19The LORD will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations. |
20I will drive the northerner far from you and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, for he has done astonishing things. | 20I will drive away these armies from the north. I will send them into the parched wastelands. Those in the front will be driven into the Dead Sea, and those at the rear into the Mediterranean. The stench of their rotting bodies will rise over the land.” Surely the LORD has done great things! |
21Don't be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done astonishing things. | 21Don’t be afraid, O land. Be glad now and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things. |
22Don't be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches. | 22Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more. |
23Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, because he gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain as before. | 23Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the LORD your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. |
24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil. | 24The threshing floors will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil. |
25I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust--my great army that I sent against you. | 25The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. |
26You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. | 26Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the LORD your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced. |
27You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame. | 27Then you will know that I am among my people Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. Never again will my people be disgraced. The LORD’s Promise of His Spirit |
28After this I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. | 28 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. |
29I will even pour out my Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. | 29In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. |
30I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. | 30And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke. |
31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. | 31The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives. |
32Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD promised, among the survivors the LORD calls. | 32But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called. |
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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