Zechariah 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.
• 2. "I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors.
• 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.'
• 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.'
• 5. "Your ancestors and their prophets are now long dead.
• 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.'"
• 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:
• 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.
• 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.
• 10. So the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth."
• 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."
• 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?"
• 13. And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. '
• 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.'"
• 18. Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.
• 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."
• 20. Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths.
• 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."

Zechariah 2

• 1. When I looked around me again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
• 2. "Where are you going?" I asked. He replied, "I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is."
• 3. Then the angel who was with me went to meet a second angel who was coming toward him.
• 4. The other angel said, "Hurry, and say to that young man, `Jerusalem will someday be so full of people that it won't have room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls, with all their livestock--and yet they will be safe.
• 5. For I, myself, will be a wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the LORD. And I will be the glory inside the city!'"
• 6. The LORD says, "Come away! Flee from the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds.
• 7. Come away! Escape to Jerusalem, you who are exiled in Babylon!"
• 8. "After a period of glory, the LORD Almighty sent me against the nations who oppressed you. For he said, `Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.
• 9. I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them.' Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me."
• 10. The LORD says, "Shout and rejoice, O Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you.
• 11. Many nations will join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the LORD Almighty sent me to you.
• 12. The land of Judah will be the LORD's inheritance in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city.
• 13. Be silent before the LORD, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling."

Zechariah 3

• 1. Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. Satan was there at the angel's right hand, accusing Jeshua of many things.
• 2. And the LORD said to Satan, "I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from a fire."
• 3. Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel.
• 4. So the angel said to the others standing there, "Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes."
• 5. Then I said, "Please, could he also have a clean turban on his head?" So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the LORD stood by.
• 6. Then the angel of the LORD spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said,
• 7. "This is what the LORD Almighty says: If you follow my ways and obey my requirements, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk in and out of my presence along with these others standing here.
• 8. Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of the good things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.
• 9. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD Almighty, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.
• 10. And on that day, says the LORD Almighty, each of you will invite your neighbor into your home to share your peace and prosperity."

New Living Translation: 318 of 324 days.