Zechariah 4

• 1. Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep.
• 2. "What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each one having seven spouts with wicks.
• 3. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl."
• 4. Then I asked the angel, "What are these, my lord? What do they mean?"
• 5. "Don't you know?" the angel asked. "No, my lord," I replied.
• 6. Then he said to me, "This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.
• 7. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel's way; it will flatten out before him! Then Zerubbabel will set the final stone of the Temple in place, and the people will shout: `May God bless it! May God bless it!'"
• 8. Then another message came to me from the LORD:
• 9. "Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.
• 10. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that search all around the world."
• 11. Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand,
• 12. and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?"
• 13. "Don't you know?" he asked. "No, my lord," I replied.
• 14. Then he said to me, "They represent the two anointed ones who assist the Lord of all the earth."

Zechariah 5

• 1. I looked up again and saw a scroll flying through the air.
• 2. "What do you see?" the angel asked. "I see a flying scroll," I replied. "It appears to be about thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide. "
• 3. Then he said to me, "This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land.
• 4. And this is what the LORD Almighty says: I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely by my name. And my curse will remain in that house until it is completely destroyed--even its timbers and stones."
• 5. Then the angel who was talking with me came forward and said, "Look up! Something is appearing in the sky."
• 6. "What is it?" I asked. He replied, "It is a basket for measuring grain, and it is filled with the sins of everyone throughout the land."
• 7. When the heavy lead cover was lifted off the basket, there was a woman sitting inside it.
• 8. The angel said, "The woman's name is Wickedness," and he pushed her back into the basket and closed the heavy lid again.
• 9. Then I looked up and saw two women flying toward us, with wings gliding on the wind. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they picked up the basket and flew with it into the sky.
• 10. "Where are they taking the basket?" I asked the angel.
• 11. He replied, "To the land of Babylonia, where they will build a temple for the basket. And when the temple is ready, they will set the basket there on its pedestal."

Zechariah 6

• 1. Then I looked up again and saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains.
• 2. The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses,
• 3. the third by white horses, and the fourth by dappled-gray horses.
• 4. "And what are these, my lord?" I asked the angel who was talking with me.
• 5. He replied, "These are the four spirits of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work.
• 6. The chariot with black horses is going north, the chariot with white horses is going west, and the chariot with dappled-gray horses is going south."
• 7. The powerful horses were eager to be off, to patrol back and forth across the earth. And the LORD said, "Go and patrol the earth!" So they left at once on their patrol.
• 8. Then the LORD summoned me and said, "Those who went north have vented the anger of my Spirit there."
• 9. Then I received another message from the LORD:
• 10. "Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah will bring gifts of silver and gold from the Jews exiled in Babylon. As soon as they arrive, meet them at the home of Josiah son of Zephaniah.
• 11. Accept their gifts and make a crown from the silver and gold. Then put the crown on the head of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
• 12. Tell him that the LORD Almighty says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out where he is and build the Temple of the LORD.
• 13. He will build the LORD's Temple, and he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between the two.
• 14. "The crown will be a memorial in the Temple of the LORD to honor those who gave it--Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiah son of Zephaniah."
• 15. Many will come from distant lands to rebuild the Temple of the LORD. And when this happens, you will know my messages have been from the LORD Almighty. All this will happen if you carefully obey the commands of the LORD your God.

New Living Translation: 319 of 324 days.