Zephaniah 3:1-8

1How horrible it will be for that rebellious and corrupt place, the city of violence.

2It obeys no one. It does not accept correction. It does not trust the Lord. It does not draw close to its God.

3Its officials are ⌞like⌟ roaring lions. Its judges are ⌞like⌟ wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.

4Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. Its priests contaminate what is holy. They violate the teachings.

5The righteous Lord is in that city. He does no wrong. He brings his judgment to light every morning. He does not fail. But those who are perverted are shameless.

6“I will cut off the nations. Their towers will be destroyed. I will demolish their streets. No one will walk through them. Their cities will be completely destroyed. Not a single person will be left. No one will be living there.

7I said ⌞to my people⌟, ‘You will fear me. You will accept correction!’ Then their homeland would not be wiped out even though I have punished them. Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did.”

8The Lord declares, “Just wait! One day I will stand up as a witness. I have decided to gather nations, to bring kingdoms together, and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them. The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.