Zec 8:9-19 | ESV | STEP | Thus says the Lord of hosts : Let your hands be strong , you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built .

l[See ver. 9 above]

m[Jer. 31:28; 32:42]

n[See ver. 13 above]

oCited Eph. 4:25; See Ps. 15:2

pSee ch. 7:9

sSee ch. 5:4

Zechariah 8:9-19

9 Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^a“Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of ^bthe prophets who were present on ^cthe day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days ^dthere was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. 12 ^eFor there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, ^fand the heavens shall give their dew. ^gAnd I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as ^hyou have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, ⁱso will I save you, and ^jyou shall be a blessing. ^kFear not, but ^llet your hands be strong.”

14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: ^m“As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; ⁿfear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: ^oSpeak the truth to one another; ^prender in your gates judgments ^qthat are true and make for peace; 17 ^rdo not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and ^slove no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.”

18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the ^tfourth month and the fast of the ^ufifth and the fast of the ^vseventh and the fast of the ^wtenth shall be to the house of Judah ^xseasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love ^ytruth and peace.