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New Living Translation |   | |
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| | Zec 1:1 | In midautumn of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo.
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| | Zec 1:2 | "I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors.
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| | Zec 1:3 | Therefore, say to the people, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD Almighty.'
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| | Zec 1:4 | Do not be like your ancestors who would not listen when the earlier prophets said to them, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: Turn from your evil ways and stop all your evil practices.'
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| | Zec 1:5 | "Your ancestors and their prophets are now long dead.
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| | Zec 1:6 | But all the things I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said they would. As a result, they repented and said, 'We have received what we deserved from the LORD Almighty. He has done what he said he would do.' "
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| | Zec 1:7 | Then on February 15 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. Zechariah said:
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| | Zec 1:8 | In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses, each with its own rider.
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| | Zec 1:9 | I asked the angel who was talking with me, "My lord, what are all those horses for?" "I will show you," the angel replied.
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| | Zec 1:10 | So the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth."
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| | Zec 1:11 | Then the other riders reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth, and the whole earth is at peace."
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| | Zec 1:12 | Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD prayed this prayer: "O LORD Almighty, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long will it be until you again show mercy to them?"
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| | Zec 1:13 | And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
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| | Zec 1:14 | Then the angel said to me, "Shout this message for all to hear: 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.
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| | Zec 1:15 | But I am very angry with the other nations that enjoy peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations punished them far beyond my intentions.
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| | Zec 1:16 | " 'Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD Almighty, and plans will be made for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.'
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| | Zec 1:17 | Say this also: 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.' "
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| | Zec 1:18 | Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.
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| | Zec 1:19 | "What are these?" I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, "These horns represent the world powers that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."
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| | Zec 1:20 | Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths.
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| | Zec 1:21 | "What are these men coming to do?" I asked. The angel replied, "The blacksmiths have come to terrify the four horns that scattered and humbled Judah. They will throw them down and destroy them."
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