Zephaniah

¹ God's Message to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. It came during the reign of Josiah son of Amon, who was king of Judah:

² a thorough housecleaning." God's Decree.

³ including birds and fish— Anything and everything that causes sin—will go, but especially people.

⁴ and everybody who lives in Jerusalem. I'll sweep the place clean of every trace of the sex-and-religion Baal shrines and their priests.

⁵ to worship the star gods and goddesses; Also those who continue to worship God but cover their bases by worshiping other king-gods as well;

⁶ no longer giving him a thought or offering a prayer.

⁷ Reverent silence before me, God, the Master! Time's up. My Judgment Day is near: The Holy Day is all set, the invited guests made holy.

⁸ I will punish the leaders and the royal sons; I will punish those who dress up like foreign priests and priestesses,

⁹ And I'll punish all who import pagan superstitions that turn holy places into hellholes.

¹⁰ "Cries of panic from the city's Fish Gate, Cries of terror from the city's Second Quarter, sounds of great crashing from the hills!

¹¹ Moneymaking has had its day. The god Money is dead.

¹² I'll search through every closet and alley in Jerusalem. I'll find and punish those who are sitting it out, fat and lazy, amusing themselves and taking it easy, Who think, 'God doesn't do anything, good or bad. He isn't involved, so neither are we.'

¹³ money and house and land. They'll build a house and never move in. They'll plant vineyards and never taste the wine.

¹⁴ It's countdown time:... seven, six, five, four... Bitter and noisy cries on my Judgment Day, even strong men screaming for help.

¹⁵ a day of distress and anguish, a day of catastrophic doom, a day of darkness at noon, a day of black storm clouds,

¹⁶ as forts are assaulted, as defenses are smashed.

¹⁷ They'll walk around groping like the blind. They've sinned against God! Their blood will be poured out like old dishwater, their guts shoveled into slop buckets.

¹⁸ Your money is worthless for this. This is the Day of God's Judgment—my wrath! I care about sin with fiery passion— A fire to burn up the corrupted world, a wildfire finish to the corrupting people."