Zechariah 2

Contemporary English Version

Third Vision: A Measuring Line

2 This time I saw someone holding a measuring line, ² and I asked, “Where are you going?”

“To measure Jerusalem,” was the answer. “To find out how wide and long it is.”

³ The angel who had spoken to me came toward me, when another angel came up to him ⁴ and said, “Hurry! Tell that man with the measuring line that Jerusalem won't have any boundaries. It will be too full of people and animals even to have a wall. ⁵ The Lord himself has promised to be a protective wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem, and he will be its shining glory in the heart of the city.”

A Call to Action

⁶ The Lord says to his people, “Run! Escape from the land in the north, where I scattered you to the four winds. ⁷ Leave Babylonia and hurry back to Zion.”

⁸ Then the glorious Lord All-Powerful ordered me to say to the nations that had raided and robbed Zion:

Zion is as precious to the Lord as are his eyes. Whatever you do to Zion, you do to him. ⁹ And so, he will put you in the power of your slaves, and they will raid and rob you. Then you will know that I am a prophet of the Lord All-Powerful.

¹⁰ City of Zion, sing and celebrate! The Lord has promised to come and live with you. ¹¹ When he does, many nations will turn to him and become his people. At that time you will know that I am a prophet of the Lord All-Powerful. ¹² Then Judah will be his part of the holy land, and Jerusalem will again be his chosen city.