Zechariah 7 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Have Justice and Mercy

7 During the fourth year that Darius was king, a message from the Lord came to me. It was the fourth day of the ninth month. That’s the month of Kislev. 2 The people of Bethel wanted to ask the Lord for his blessing. So they sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek and their men. 3 They went to the prophets and priests at the Lord’s temple. They asked them, “Should we mourn and go without eating in the fifth month? That’s what we’ve done for many years.”

4 Then the message came to me from the Lord who rules over all. He said, 5 “Ask the priests and all the people in the land a question for me. Say to them, ‘You mourned and fasted in the fifth and seventh months. You did it for the past 70 years. But did you really do it for me? 6 And when you were eating and drinking, weren’t you just enjoying good food for yourselves? 7 Didn’t I tell you the same thing through the earlier prophets? That was when Jerusalem and the towns around it were at rest and enjoyed success. People lived in the Negev Desert and the western hills at that time.’ ”

8 Another message from the Lord came to me. 9 Here is what the Lord who rules over all said to his people. “Treat everyone with justice. Show mercy and tender concern to one another. 10 Do not take advantage of widows. Do not mistreat children whose fathers have died. Do not be mean to outsiders or poor people. Do not make evil plans against one another.”

11 But they refused to pay attention to the Lord. They were stubborn. They turned their backs and covered their ears. 12 They made their hearts as hard as the hardest stone. They wouldn’t listen to the law. They wouldn’t pay attention to the Lord’s messages. So the Lord who rules over all was very angry. After all, his Spirit had spoken to his people through the earlier prophets.

13 “When I called, they did not listen,” says the Lord. “So when they called, I would not listen. 14 I used a windstorm to scatter them among all the nations. They were strangers there. The land they left behind became dry and empty. No one could even travel through it. This is how they turned the pleasant land into a dry and empty desert.”

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Zechariah 7 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

7 And it cometh to pass, in the fourth year of Darius the king hath a word of Jehovah been unto Zechariah, in the fourth of the ninth month, in Chisleu. 2 And Beth-El sendeth Sherezer and Regem-Melech, and its men, to appease the face of Jehovah, 3 speaking unto the priests who [are] at the house of...
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Zechariah 7 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

7 And it is made in the fourth year of Darius, king, the word of the Lord was made to Zechariah, in the fourth day of the ninth month, that is Chisleu, that is, November. (And it was done in the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord was made to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth mo...
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Zechariah 7 - World English Bible (WEB)

7 In the fourth year of king Darius, Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev. 2 The people of Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech, and their men, to entreat Yahweh’s favor, 3 and to speak to the priests of the house of Yahweh of Armies, and to t...
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Zechariah 7 - The Voice (VOICE)

“Branch” is a prophetic title for the Anointed One, that royal descendant of David whom God will send to usher in a new age of justice, peace, and joy. In Zechariah’s day, the people wonder if Zerubbabel is that king. Ac cording to the prophet, God has designs on him as the one to rebuild the temple...
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Zechariah 7 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Justice and Chesed7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of Adonai came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, in Kislev. 2 Now Bethel sent Sarezer and Regem-melech together with his men to seek the favor of Adonai, 3 and to speak to the kohanim of the House of Adonai-Tzva’ot an...
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Zechariah 7 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Hypocritical Fasting Condemned7 In the fourth year of King Dari′us, the word of the Lord came to Zechari′ah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Share′zer and Reg′em-mel′ech and their men, to entreat the favor of the Lord, 3 and to ask the pri...
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Zechariah 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Hypocritical Fasting Condemned7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechari′ah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Share′zer and Reg′em-mel′ech and their men, to entreat the favor of the Lord, 3 and to ask the prie...
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Zechariah 7 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Hypocritical Fasting Condemned7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men, to entreat the favour of the Lord, 3 and to ask the priests...
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Zechariah 7 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Hypocritical Fasting Condemned7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.(A)2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men to entreat the favor of the Lord(B)3 and to ask the priests ...
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Zechariah 7 - New Living Translation (NLT)

A Call to Justice and Mercy7 On December 7[a] of the fourth year of King Darius’s reign, another message came to Zechariah from the Lord. 2 The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech,[b] along with their attendants, to seek the Lord’s favor. 3 They were to ask this question of the prophe...
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Zechariah 7 - New Life Version (NLV)

It Is Better to Obey Than Go without Food7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Zechariah. This was on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to ask for the Lord’s favor. 3 They ...
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Zechariah 7 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Obedience Better than Fasting7 Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, 2 when [a]the people sent [b]Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to [c]the house of God, [d]to pray before the Lord, ...
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Zechariah 7 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Justice and mercy, not fasting7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev. 2 The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the Lord 3 by asking the priests of the...
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Zechariah 7 - New International Version (NIV)

Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah(A) on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.(B) 2 The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat(C) the Lord(D) 3 by asking the prie...
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Zechariah 7 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Have Justice and Mercy7 During the fourth year that Darius was king, a message from the Lord came to me. It was the fourth day of the ninth month. That’s the month of Kislev. 2 The people of Bethel wanted to ask the Lord for his blessing. So they sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek and their men. 3 They...
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Zechariah 7 - New English Translation (NET)

The Hypocrisy of False Fasting7 In King Darius’ fourth year, on the fourth day of Kislev, the ninth month,[a] the Lord’s message came to Zechariah. 2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their companions to seek the Lord’s favor 3 by asking both the priests of the temple[...
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