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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Zephaniah 3:16

At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not thine hands be slack.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Faith;   Zion;   Scofield Reference Index - Kingdom;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Day of the lord;   Encouragement;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - God, Names of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Zephaniah, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fear;   Zephaniah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Zephaniah (1);   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Day of Judgment;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Zion;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Parable;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:“Do not fear;Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.
Hebrew Names Version
In that day, it will be said to Yerushalayim, "Don't be afraid, Tziyon. Don't let your hands be slack."
King James Version (1611)
In that day it shall be said to Ierusalem, Feare thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slacke.
King James Version
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
English Standard Version
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.
New American Standard Bible
On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.
New Century Version
On that day Jerusalem will be told, "Don't be afraid, city of Jerusalem. Don't give up.
Amplified Bible
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.
Geneva Bible (1587)
In that day it shalbe said to Ierusalem, Feare thou not, O Zion: let not thine handes be faint.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.
Legacy Standard Bible
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:"Do not fear, O Zion;Do not let your hands fall limp.
Berean Standard Bible
On that day they will say to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem, the time is coming, when it will be said to you: "Don't be discouraged or grow weak from fear!
Complete Jewish Bible
On that day, it will be said to Yerushalayim, "Do not fear, Tziyon! don't let your hands droop down.
Darby Translation
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not; Zion, let not thy hands be slack.
Easy-to-Read Version
At that time Jerusalem will be told, "Be strong, don't be afraid!
George Lamsa Translation
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not; and to Zion, Let not your hands be weak.
Good News Translation
The time is coming when they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not be afraid, city of Zion! Do not let your hands hang limp!
Lexham English Bible
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Fear not, O Zion; your hands shall not hang limp.
Literal Translation
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not! Zion, do not let your hands droop.
American Standard Version
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.
Bible in Basic English
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem, Have no fear: O Zion, let not your hands be feeble.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: 'Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
In that time it shalbe sayde to Hierusalem, Feare not: and to Sion, Let not thyne handes be flacke:
English Revised Version
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: O Zion, let not thine hands be slack.
World English Bible
In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion. Don't let your hands be slack."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In that dai it schal be seid, Jerusalem, nyle thou drede; Sion, thin hondis be not clumsid.
Update Bible Version
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Don't be afraid; O Zion, don't let your hands be slack.
Webster's Bible Translation
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: [and to] Zion, Let not thy hands be slack.
New English Translation
On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!
New King James Version
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.
New Living Translation
On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, "Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid!
New Life Bible
On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion. Do not let your hands lose their strength.
New Revised Standard
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In that day, shall it be said - to Jerusalem, Do not fear, - O Zion, Let not thy hands hang down:
Douay-Rheims Bible
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not: to Sion: Let not thy hands be weakened.
Revised Standard Version
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.
Young's Literal Translation
In that day it is said to Jerusalem, `Fear not, O Zion, let not thy hands be feeble.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
In that tyme it shall be sayed to Ierusalem: feare not, and to Sion: let not thine hondes be slacke,
THE MESSAGE
Jerusalem will be told: "Don't be afraid. Dear Zion, don't despair. Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he'll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.

Contextual Overview

14 Rejoice, O daughter of Sion; cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and delight thyself with all thine heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 The Lord has taken away thine iniquities, he has ransomed thee from the hand of thine enemies: the Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 16 At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not thine hands be slack. 17 The Lord thy God is in thee; the Mighty One shall save thee: he shall bring joy upon thee, and shall refresh thee with his love; and he shall rejoice over thee with delight as in a day of feasting. 18 And I will gather thine afflicted ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her? 19 Behold, I will work in thee for thy sake at that time, saith the Lord: and I will save her that was oppressed, and receive her that was rejected; and I will make them a praise, and honoured in all the earth. 20 And their enemies shall be ashamed at that time, when I shall deal well with you, and at the time when I shall receive you: for I will make you honoured and a praise among all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, saith the Lord.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

be said: Isaiah 35:3, Isaiah 35:4, Isaiah 40:9, Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 41:13, Isaiah 41:14, Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 44:2, Isaiah 54:4, Jeremiah 46:27, Jeremiah 46:28, Haggai 2:4, Haggai 2:5, Zechariah 8:15, John 12:12, Hebrews 12:12

slack: or, faint, 2 Corinthians 4:1, Galatians 6:9, Ephesians 3:13, Hebrews 12:3-5, Revelation 2:3

Reciprocal: Joshua 18:3 - How long are 2 Samuel 4:1 - his hands Isaiah 2:11 - in that day Jeremiah 30:10 - fear Joel 2:21 - Fear John 4:22 - for John 12:15 - Fear 2 Thessalonians 3:13 - be not weary

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 3:6
For God knew that in whatever day ye should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and ye would be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Genesis 3:7
And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes to look upon and beautiful to contemplate, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave to her husband also with her, and they ate.
Genesis 3:8
(3:9) And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the afternoon; and both Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:10
And the Lord God called Adam and said to him, Adam, where art thou?
Genesis 3:11
And he said to him, I heard thy voice as thou walkedst in the garden, and I feared because I was naked and I hid myself.
Genesis 3:12
And God said to him, Who told thee that thou wast naked, unless thou hast eaten of the tree concerning which I charged thee of it alone not to eat?
Genesis 3:16
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed, he shall watch against thy head, and thou shalt watch against his heel.
Genesis 3:17
And to the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy pains and thy groanings; in pain thou shalt bring forth children, and thy submission shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Genesis 3:18
And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and eaten of the tree concerning which I charged thee of it only not to eat—of that thou hast eaten, cursed is the ground in thy labours, in pain shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear thou not,.... Do not be afraid of any enemies; neither outward ones, the armies of Gog and Magog, the Turk, who will threaten, and will attempt to dispossess them of their land, now returned to it; nor inward and spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, death, and hell, being all vanquished and subdued by Christ: this will be said, not by the enemies themselves, who will confess they have no power to stand before the mighty God, as Aben Ezra; but either by the prophets of the Lord, or by the people themselves, encouraging one another, every man his neighbour, as Kimchi; or rather by the Lord himself, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions supply it,

"the Lord shall say to Jerusalem;''

this will be said at the time of the Jews' conversion, when reinstated in their own land, and shall be threatened with another remove from it, which they will have no reason to fear:

[and to] Zion, Let not thine hands be slack; weak, remiss, hang down through fear of mind, and fainting of spirit; and so unfit to meet the enemy, or perform duty; but, on the contrary, pluck up a good heart, be of good courage, fear not the enemy, be vigorous, active, and diligent, in the performance of the service of the Lord, animated by the following considerations:

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not - For “perfect love casteth out fear” John 4:18; from where he saith, “Fear not, little flock; it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” Luke 12:32. Who then and what should the Church or the faithful soul fear, since “mightier is He that is in her, than he that is in the world? And to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack,” through faint-heartedness (see Hebrews 12:12), but work with all thy might; be ready to do or bear anything; since Christ worketh with, in, by thee, and “in due time we shall reap, if we faint not” Galatians 6:9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zephaniah 3:16. Fear thou not — Thou shalt have no more captivities nor national afflictions.

Let not thine hands be slack. — This may refer, first, to the rebuilding of the temple of God, after the return from Babylon; and, secondly, to their diligence and zeal in the Christian Church.


 
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