Zechariah 13 – NIVUK & NIRV

New International Version – UK

Zechariah 13:1-9

Cleansing from sin

1‘On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

2‘On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. 3And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, “You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.” Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.

4‘On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive. 5Each will say, “I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.13:5 Or farmer; a man sold me in my youth6If someone asks, “What are these wounds on your body13:6 Or wounds between your hands?” they will answer, “The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.”

The shepherd struck, the sheep scattered

7‘Awake, sword, against my shepherd,

against the man who is close to me!’

declares the Lord Almighty.

‘Strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered,

and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

8In the whole land,’ declares the Lord,

‘two-thirds will be struck down and perish;

yet one-third will be left in it.

9This third I will put into the fire;

I will refine them like silver

and test them like gold.

They will call on my name

and I will answer them;

I will say, “They are my people,”

and they will say, “The Lord is our God.” ’

New International Reader’s Version

Zechariah 13:1-9

The Lord Makes Israel Pure and “Clean”

1“At that time a fountain will be opened for the benefit of David’s family line. It will also bless the others who live in Jerusalem. It will wash away their sins. It will make them pure and ‘clean.’

2“On that day I will remove the names of other gods from the land. They will not even be remembered anymore,” announces the Lord who rules over all. “I will drive the evil prophets out of the land. I will get rid of the spirit that put lies in their mouths. 3Some people might still prophesy. But their own fathers and mothers will speak to them. They will tell them, ‘You must die. You have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ When they prophesy, their own parents will stab them.

4“At that time every prophet will be ashamed of the vision they see. They will no longer pretend to be a true prophet. They will not put on clothes that are made out of hair in order to trick people. 5In fact, each one will say, ‘I’m not really a prophet. I’m a farmer. I’ve farmed the land since I was young.’ 6Suppose someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ Then they will answer, ‘I was given these wounds at the house of my friends.’

The Good Shepherd Is Killed and the Sheep Are Scattered

7“My sword, wake up! Attack my shepherd!

Attack the man who is close to me,”

announces the Lord who rules over all.

“Strike down the shepherd.

Then the sheep will be scattered.

And I will turn my hand against their little ones.

8Here is what will happen in the whole land,”

announces the Lord.

“Two-thirds of the people will be struck down and die.

But one-third will be left.

9I will put this third in the fire.

I will make them as pure as silver.

I will test them like gold.

They will call out to me.

And I will answer them.

I will say, ‘They are my people.’

And they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”