Zephaniah 3:7

7 I said, ‘Surely you will fear me;

you will accept correction.

Then your dwelling would not be cut off

according to all that I have appointed against you.’

But all the more they were eager

to make all their deeds corrupt.

7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction;

So their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them:

But they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

7 I thought, ‘Surely they will have reverence for me now!

Surely they will listen to my warnings.

Then I won’t need to strike again,

destroying their homes.’

But no, they get up early

to continue their evil deeds.

7 I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,

You will receive instruction’—

So that her dwelling would not be cut off,

Despite everything for which I punished her.

But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.

7 I said, ‘Surely now Jerusalem will respect me

and will accept my teaching.’

Then the place where they lived would not be destroyed,

and I would not have to punish them.

But they were still eager

to do evil in everything they did.

7 I said, Only fear thou me; receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her: but they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

7 I said, Only fear me, receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, howsoever I may punish her. But they rose early, they corrupted all their doings.

7 I 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.” 

7 I thought: You will certainly fear Me

and accept correction.

Then her dwelling place

would not be cut off

based on all that I had allocated to her.

However, they became more corrupt

in all their actions.

7 I said, “Surely the city will fear me;

it will accept correction;

it will not lose sight

of all that I have brought upon it.”

But they were the more eager

to make all their deeds corrupt.

7 I have said, ‘Surely she will fear me;

she will accept discipline.

Then her dwelling place will not be cut down,

nor all that I have brought upon her.’

Surely they rise early;

they make all their deeds corrupt.

7 I said to you people of Jerusalem,

‘Because I cut off other nations,

you will have respect for me.

Now you will accept my warning.’

I wish you had returned to me.

Then your homes would not have been torn down.

And I would not have had to punish you so much.

But you still wanted to go on sinning

in every way you could.

7 “I said, ‘Surely you will revere Me,

Accept instruction.’

So her dwelling will not be cut off

According to all that I have appointed concerning her.

But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.