¹ And the word of Jehovah of Armies was to me, saying,

² Thus says Jehovah of Armies: I was·​·zealous for Zion with great zeal, and with great fury I was·​·zealous for her.

³ Thus says Jehovah: I have returned to^▵ Zion, and will reside in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of Jehovah of Armies the holy mountain.

⁴ Thus says Jehovah of Armies: Old men and old women shall still dwell in the avenues of Jerusalem, and a man^◦ with his staff in his hand from many days;

⁵ and the avenues of the city shall be·​·full of boys^◦ and girls^◦ playing in her avenues.

⁶ Thus says Jehovah of Armies: That which will be wonderful in the eyes of those who·​·are·​·left of this people in these^◦ days, will it even be wonderful in My eyes, says^◦ Jehovah of Armies?

⁷ Thus says Jehovah of Armies; Behold, I^◦ will save My people from the land of the sunrise, and from the land of the going·​·in of the sun.

⁸ and I will bring them, and they shall reside in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I^◦ will be their God, in truth and in justice.

⁹ Thus says Jehovah of Armies: Let your hands be·​·firm, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, who were in the day that the house of Jehovah of Armies was founded, that the temple might be built.

¹⁰ For before these^◦ days there was not a wage for mankind, and there was no wage for the beast; and for him who went·​·out and for him who came·​·in there was no peace from the adversary; for I sent·​·out all mankind, a man^◦ against^◦ his companion.

¹¹ But now I^◦ will not be to what·​·is·​·left of this people as in the first days, says^◦ Jehovah of Armies.

¹² For the seed shall be of peace; the vine shall give her fruit, and the land shall give her produce, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause what·​·is·​·left of this people to inherit all these things.

¹³ And it shall be, that as^◦ you were a curse^◦ among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing; fear not; let your hands be·​·firm.

¹⁴ For thus says Jehovah of Armies: As^◦ I purposed to do·​·evil to you when your fathers enraged Me, says Jehovah of Armies, and I repented not,

¹⁵ so returning I have purposed in these days to do·​·good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear ye not.

¹⁶ These are the words that you shall do; Speak ye the truth, a man^◦ with^◦ his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates;

¹⁷ and think not evil, a man^◦ against his companion, in your hearts, and love not a false promise; for all these are things that I hate, says^◦ Jehovah.

¹⁸ And the word of Jehovah of Armies was unto^▵ me, saying,

¹⁹ Thus says Jehovah of Armies: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be for the house of Judah for joy and for gladness, and for good, solemn festivals; therefore love the truth and the peace.

²⁰ Thus says Jehovah of Armies: There shall yet come peoples and those who dwell in many cities;

²¹ and they who dwell in one city shall go^◦ to^▵ another one, saying, Going^◦, let us go to implore the faces of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of Armies; I^◦ also will go.

²² And many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Armies in Jerusalem, and to implore the faces of Jehovah.

²³ Thus says Jehovah of Armies: In those^◦ days it shall be that ten men^◦ from all the tongues of the nations shall hold·​·firm, and they shall hold·​·firm on^◦ the wing of the garment^* of a man^◦, a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

¹ "Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

³ Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,

⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵ Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'

⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸ The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

⁹ But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

¹⁰ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

¹¹ Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'

¹² But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'

¹³ Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

¹⁴ "For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.

¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

¹⁶ Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

¹⁷ In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.

¹⁸ But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

¹⁹ "Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.

²⁰ He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.'

²¹ "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

²² "He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'

²³ "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

²⁴ "He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.

²⁵ I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'

²⁶ "But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.

²⁷ You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

²⁸ Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.

²⁹ For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away.

³⁰ Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

³¹ "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

³² Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

³³ He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴ Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

³⁵ for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.

³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'

³⁷ "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?

³⁸ When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?

³⁹ When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

⁴⁰ "The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

⁴¹ Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

⁴² for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;

⁴³ I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'

⁴⁴ "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'

⁴⁵ "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'

⁴⁶ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."