Zephaniah 3:1–7

Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed

¹How horrible it will be for that rebellious 

and corrupt place, the city of violence. 

²It obeys no one. 

It does not accept correction. 

It does not trust the Lord. 

It does not draw close to its God. 

³Its officials are ⸤like⸥ roaring lions. 

Its judges are ⸤like⸥ wolves in the evening. 

They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning. 

⁴Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. 

Its priests contaminate what is holy. 

They violate the teachings. 

⁵The righteous Lord is in that city. 

He does no wrong. 

He brings his judgment to light every morning. 

He does not fail. 

But those who are perverted are shameless. 

⁶“I will cut off the nations. 

Their towers will be destroyed. 

I will demolish their streets. 

No one will walk through them. 

Their cities will be completely destroyed. 

Not a single person will be left. 

No one will be living there. 

⁷I said ⸤to my people⸥, 

‘You will fear me. 

You will accept correction!’ 

Then their homeland would not be wiped out 

even though I have punished them. 

Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did.”