Zephaniah 1:7–18

⁷Be silent in the presence of the Almighty Lord, 

because the day of the Lord is near. 

The Lord has prepared a sacrifice. 

He has invited his special guests. 

⁸“On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice I will punish the officials, 

the king’s sons, and all who dress in foreign clothing.^b

⁹On that day I will punish all who jump over the doorway 

and all who fill their master’s house with violence and deception. 

¹⁰On that day a loud cry will come from Fish Gate, 

a howling from the Second Part of the city, 

and a loud crashing sound from the hills,” declares the Lord. 

¹¹“Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar,^c

because all the merchants will be destroyed 

and all who handle money will be killed. 

¹²“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those 

who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle, 

who think that the Lord won’t do anything—good or bad. 

¹³Their wealth will be looted. 

Their homes will be demolished. 

They will build houses, but they won’t live in them. 

They will plant vineyards, but they won’t drink their wine.” 

The Day of the Lord

¹⁴The frightening day of the Lord is near. 

It is near and coming very quickly. 

Listen! Warriors will cry out bitterly on the day of the Lord. 

¹⁵That day will be a day of overflowing fury, 

a day of trouble and distress, 

a day of devastation and desolation, 

a day of darkness and gloom, 

a day of clouds and overcast skies, 

¹⁶a day of rams’ horns and battle cries 

against the fortified cities 

and against the high corner towers. 

¹⁷“I will bring such distress on humans that they will walk like they are blind, 

because they have sinned against the Lord.” 

Their blood will be poured out like dust 

and their intestines like manure. 

¹⁸Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them 

on the day of the Lord’s overflowing fury. 

The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery anger, 

because he will put an end, a frightening end, 

to those who live on earth.