1. The Lord All-Powerful spoke his word, saying,
2. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “I have a very strong love for Jerusalem. My strong love for her is like a fire burning in me.”
3. This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Jerusalem and live in it. Then it will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord All-Powerful will be called the Holy Mountain.”
4. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “Old men and old women will again sit along Jerusalem’s streets, each carrying a cane because of age.
5. And the streets will be filled with boys and girls playing.”
6. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “Those who are left alive then may think it is too difficult to happen, but it is not too difficult for me,” says the Lord All-Powerful.
7. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “I will save my people from countries in the east and west.
8. I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their good and loyal God.”
9. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “Work hard, you who are hearing these words today. The prophets spoke these words when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord All-Powerful, for the building of the Temple.
10. Before that time there was no money to hire people or animals. People could not safely come and go because of the enemies; I had turned everyone against his neighbor.
11. But I will not do to these people who are left what I did in the past,” says the Lord All-Powerful.