1 I am Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, the great-grandson of Amariah, and the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah.When Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah, the Lord gave me this message.
2 I, the Lord, now promiseto destroy everythingon this earth—
3 people and animals,birds and fish.Everyone who is evilwill crash to the ground,and I will wipe outthe entire human race.
4 I will reach out to punishJudah and Jerusalem—nothing will remainof the god Baal;nothing will be rememberedof his pagan priests.
5 Not a trace will be foundof those who worship starsfrom their rooftops,or bow down to the god Milcom,while claiming loyaltyto me, the Lord.
6 Nothing will remain of anyonewho has turned awayand rejected me.
7 Be silent! I am the Lord God,and the time is near.I am preparingto sacrifice my peopleand to invite my guests.
8 On that day I will punishnational leadersand sons of the king,along with all who followforeign customs.
9 I will punish worshipersof pagan godsand cruel palace officialswho abuse their power.
10 I, the Lord, promisethat on that daynoisy crying will be heardfrom Fish Gate, New Town,and Upper Hills.
11 Everyone in Lower Hollowwill mourn loudly,because merchantsand money changerswill be wiped out.
12 I'll search Jerusalem with lampsand punish those peoplewho sit there unworriedwhile thinking,“The Lord won't do anything,good or bad.”
13 Their possessions will be taken,their homes left in ruins.They won't get to livein the houses they build,or drink wine from the grapesin their own vineyards.
14 The great day of the Lordis coming soon, very soon.On that terrible day,fearsome shouts of warriorswill be heard everywhere.
15 It will be a time of anger—of trouble and torment,of disaster and destruction,of darkness and despair,of storm clouds and shadows,
16 of trumpet callsand battle criesagainst fortified citiesand mighty fortresses.
17 The Lord warns everyonewho has sinned against him,“I'll strike you blind!Then your blood and your insideswill gush out like vomit.
18 Not even your silver or goldcan save you on that daywhen I, the Lord, am angry.My anger will flare uplike a furious firescorching the earthand everyone on it.”