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Contemporary English Version

Zephaniah 3:16

Jerusalem, the time is coming, when it will be said to you: "Don't be discouraged or grow weak from fear!

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.
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:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not thine hands be slack.
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 Everyone in Jerusalem and Judah, celebrate and shout with all your heart! 15 Zion, your punishment is over. The Lord has forced your enemies to turn and retreat. Your Lord is King of Israel and stands at your side; you don't have to worry about any more troubles. 16 Jerusalem, the time is coming, when it will be said to you: "Don't be discouraged or grow weak from fear! 17 The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love." 18 The Lord has promised: Your sorrow has ended, and you can celebrate. 19 I will punish those who mistreat you. I will bring together the lame and the outcasts, then they will be praised, instead of despised, in every country on earth. 20 I will lead you home, and with your own eyes you will see me bless you with all you once owned. Then you will be famous everywhere on this earth. I, the Lord , have spoken!

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
The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made. One day it came to the woman and asked, "Did God tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:6
The woman stared at the fruit. It looked beautiful and tasty. She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, and she ate some of the fruit. Her husband was there with her, so she gave some to him, and he ate it too.
Genesis 3:7
Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves.
Genesis 3:8
Late in the afternoon a breeze began to blow, and the man and woman heard the Lord God walking in the garden. They were frightened and hid behind some trees.
Genesis 3:9
The Lord called out to the man and asked, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
The man answered, "I was naked, and when I heard you walking through the garden, I was frightened and hid!"
Genesis 3:11
"How did you know you were naked?" God asked. "Did you eat any fruit from that tree in the middle of the garden?"
Genesis 3:12
"It was the woman you put here with me," the man said. "She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it."
Genesis 3:16
Then the Lord said to the woman, "You will suffer terribly when you give birth. But you will still desire your husband, and he will rule over you."
Genesis 3:17
The Lord said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate fruit from that tree. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food.

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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