Zechariah 7:3-11
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 7
3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of armies, and to the prophets, saying, 'Shall I weep in the fifth month and fast, as I have done these many years?' 4Then the word of the Lord of armies came to me, saying, 5Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted? 6And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? 7Are these not the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and carefree along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’?'
8Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,
9This is what the Lord of armies has said: ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;
10and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’
11But they refused to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and plugged their ears from hearing.
King James Version
Chapter 7
3And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? 4Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying, 5Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? 6And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 7Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?
8And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying,
9Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
10And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
Christian Standard Bible
4Then the word of the Lord of Armies came to me:
5"Ask all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me?
6When you eat and drink, don’t you eat and drink simply for yourselves?
7Aren’t these the words that the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and secure, along with its surrounding cities, and when the southern region and the Judean foothills were inhabited?"
8The word of the Lord came to Zechariah:
9"The Lord of Armies says this: ‘Make fair decisions. Show faithful love and compassion to one another.
10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the resident alien or the poor, and do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’
11But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they closed their ears so they could not hear.
New Living Translation
4The Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply:
5Say to all your people and your priests, ‘During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting?
6And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?
7Isn’t this the same message the Lord proclaimed through the prophets in years past when Jerusalem and the towns of Judah were bustling with people, and the Negev and the foothills of Judah were well populated?’'
English Standard Version
4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me:
5"Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?
6And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?
7Were not these the words that the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?’"
8And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,
9"Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
10do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."
11But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
New International Version
4Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me:
5"Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?
6And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?
7Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?’ "
New King James Version
4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
5“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?
6When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?
7Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?’ ”
