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Book of Zephaniah, Chapter 2

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Zephaniah 2 NWT - New World TranslationZephaniah 2 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 2 of Zephaniah—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ Gather yourselves together, yes, do the gathering,1 O nation not paling in shame.[a]2
  2. Before [the] statute gives birth to [anything],3 [before the] day has passed by just like chaff, before there comes upon YOU people the burning anger of Jehovah,4 before there comes upon YOU the day of Jehovah’s anger,5
  3. seek Jehovah,6 all YOU meek[b] ones of the earth,7 who have practiced His own judicial decision.[c] Seek righteousness,8 seek meekness.[d]9 Probably[e]10 YOU may be concealed[f] in the day of Jehovah’s anger.11
  4. For, as regards Gaʹza, an abandoned [city] is what she will become;12 and Ashʹke·lon is to be a desolate waste.13 As regards Ashʹdod,14 at high noon they will drive her out;15 and as regards Ekʹron, she will be uprooted.16
  5. ¶ “Woe to those inhabiting the region of the sea, the nation of Cherʹe·thites![g]17 The word of Jehovah is against YOU people. O Caʹnaan, the land of the Phi·lisʹtines, I will also destroy you, so that there will be no inhabitant.18
  6. And the region of the sea must become pasture grounds,19 [with] wells for shepherds and stone pens for sheep.
  7. And it must become a region for the remaining ones of the house of Judah.20 Upon them they will feed. In the houses of Ashʹke·lon, in the evening, they will lie stretched out. For Jehovah their God[h] will turn his attention to them21 and certainly gather back the captive ones of them.”22
  8. ¶ “I have heard the reproach by Moʹab23 and the abusive words of the sons of Amʹmon,24 with which they have reproached my people and kept putting on great airs against their territory.
  9. Therefore, as I am alive,”25 is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, “Moʹab herself will become just like Sodʹom,26 and the sons of Amʹmon27 like Go·morʹrah, a place possessed by nettles, and a salt pit, and a desolate waste, even to time indefinite.28 The remaining ones of my people will plunder them, and the remnant of my own nation will take possession of them.29
  10. This is what they will have instead of their pride,30 because they reproached and kept putting on great airs against the people of Jehovah[i] of armies.31
  11. Jehovah will be fear-inspiring against them;[j]32 for he will certainly emaciate all the gods of the earth,[k]33 and people will bow down to him,34 each one from his place, all the islands[l] of the nations.35
  12. ¶ “YOU also, YOU E·thi·oʹpi·ans,[m]36 YOU yourselves will be people slain by my sword.[n]37
  13. ¶ “And he will stretch out his hand toward the north, and he will destroy As·syrʹi·a.38 And he will make Ninʹe·veh a desolate waste,39 a waterless region like the wilderness.
  14. And in the midst of her, droves will certainly lie stretched out, all the wild animals of a nation.[o]40 Both pelican and porcupine41 will spend the night right among her pillar capitals.42 A voice will keep singing in the window. There will be devastation at the threshold; for he will certainly lay bare the very wainscoting.43
  15. This is the exultant city that was sitting in security,44 that was saying in her heart, ‘I am, and there is nobody else.’45 O how she has become an object of astonishment, a place for the wild animals to lie stretched out! Everyone passing along by her will whistle; he will wag his hand.”46

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ Or, “not yearning intensely.”
  2. ^ Or, “humble.”
  3. ^ Or, “who have kept His judgments.”
  4. ^ Or, “humbleness; humility.”
  5. ^ Or, “Perhaps.” Heb., ʼu·laiʹ.
  6. ^ “You may be concealed (sheltered).” Heb., tis·sa·theruʹ; not tsa·phanʹ, as in the name Zephaniah. Compare Title ftn.
  7. ^ “Cretans,” LXX.
  8. ^ “Their God.” Heb., ʼElo·heh·hemʹ.
  9. ^ See App 1C §2.
  10. ^ According to MVg; LXXSy, “Jehovah will appear upon them.”
  11. ^ “Gods of the earth,” M(Heb., ʼelo·hehʹ ha·ʼaʹrets)Vg; LXX, “gods of the nations of the earth.”
  12. ^ Or, “coastlands.”
  13. ^ “Ethiopians,” LXXVg; Heb., Ku·shimʹ; TSy, “Cushites.”
  14. ^ “My sword,” MTLXXVg.
  15. ^ “A nation.” Heb., ghohy; LXX, “the earth”; SyVg, “nations (peoples).”

REFERENCES

  1. ^ Jl 1:14; 2:16
  2. ^ Is 1:4; Je 6:15
  3. ^ 2Pe 3:9
  4. ^ 2Ch 36:16; Je 23:20; La 4:11
  5. ^ 2Ki 23:26; Na 1:6; Ml 4:1
  6. ^ Ps 105:4; Is 2:3; 55:6; Am 5:6
  7. ^ Ps 25:9; 76:9; Mt 5:5
  8. ^ Mt 6:33; Ro 1:17; 10:3; Eph 4:24
  9. ^ Ps 25:9; Pr 22:4
  10. ^ Ps 37:11; Jl 2:14; Am 5:15; Jon 3:9
  11. ^ Ge 7:16; Ps 31:20; Is 26:20
  12. ^ Je 25:20; Am 1:6; Zc 9:5
  13. ^ Je 25:20; 47:5; Eze 25:16
  14. ^ Am 1:8
  15. ^ Ps 91:6; Je 15:8
  16. ^ Zc 9:5
  17. ^ Eze 25:16
  18. ^ Jos 13:3; Is 14:29
  19. ^ Is 17:2; Eze 25:5
  20. ^ Is 11:11; Je 31:7; Mc 2:12; 4:7; Hg 1:12
  21. ^ Mc 4:10; Lu 1:68
  22. ^ Ps 126:1; Je 23:3; 29:14; 30:10; Eze 39:25; Am 9:14; Zp 3:20
  23. ^ Je 48:27; Eze 25:8
  24. ^ Ps 83:4; Je 49:1; Eze 25:3
  25. ^ Nu 14:21; Is 49:18; Je 46:18; Ro 14:11
  26. ^ Ge 19:24; Eze 25:11; Am 2:1
  27. ^ Eze 25:2; Am 1:13
  28. ^ De 29:23; Is 13:19; Je 50:40; Jl 3:19; Jd 7
  29. ^ Mc 5:8
  30. ^ Is 16:6; Je 48:29; Ob 3
  31. ^ Is 10:12; 37:23; Eze 38:11; Jm 5:4; 1Pe 5:5
  32. ^ Ne 1:5
  33. ^ Ho 2:17; Zc 13:2
  34. ^ Ps 22:27; 72:9; Ml 1:11
  35. ^ Is 42:4; 49:1
  36. ^ Is 20:4; 43:3; Eze 30:4
  37. ^ Ps 17:13; Je 47:6
  38. ^ Is 10:12; Eze 31:3, 11; Na 3:5
  39. ^ Na 3:7, 18
  40. ^ Re 18:2
  41. ^ Is 34:11
  42. ^ Am 9:1
  43. ^ Je 22:14
  44. ^ Is 22:2; 47:7; Na 3:1
  45. ^ Is 47:8
  46. ^ Na 3:19

Read Zephaniah Chapter 2 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  2. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  3. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  4. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  5. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  6. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  7. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

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