New Living Translation
Zechariah 8:16
16But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.
Zechariah 8:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
- New International Version (NIV)These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;
- English Standard Version (ESV)These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;
- New King James Version (NKJV)These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
Context of Zechariah 8:16
14“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 15But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.” 18Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Read all of Zechariah 8Zechariah 8:16 word by word
אֵ֥לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ דַּבְּר֤וּ אֱמֶת֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ אֱמֶת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט שָׁל֔וֹם שִׁפְט֖וּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the thingsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- that ye shall doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- ye every manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- the truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: trueH571
- to his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- executeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- the judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- and peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
- in your gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
Cross-references for Zechariah 8:16
- Deuteronomy 10:12“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.
- Deuteronomy 11:7But you have seen the Lord perform all these mighty deeds with your own eyes!
- Micah 6:8No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
- Luke 3:8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
- Ephesians 4:17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
- 1 Peter 1:13So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
- Zechariah 8:19“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.
- Zechariah 7:9“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.
- Leviticus 19:11“Do not steal. “Do not deceive or cheat one another.
- Psalms 15:2Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
- Proverbs 12:17An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.
- Jeremiah 9:3“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! The Lord has brought charges against you, saying: “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.
- Micah 6:12The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence. Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth.
- Ephesians 4:25So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before.
Commentaries on Zechariah 8:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Speak ye every man the truth - See Zechariah 7:9, Zechariah 7:10.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16These are the things that ye shall do - He exhorts them to the same duties, to which the former prophets had exhorted their fathers, Zechariah 7:9-10, and, as before, first positively to truth and peace; then to avoid everything contrary to it. “Judgment of peace” must be judgment which issues in peace, as all righteous judgment righteously received, in which case each party acquiesces, must. Kimchi: “If ye judge righteousness, there will be peace between…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 Those only who lay their hands to the plough of duty, shall have them strengthened with the promises of mercy: those who avoid their fathers' faults have the curse turned into a blessing. Those who believed the promises, were to show their faith by their works, and to wait the fulfilment. When God is displeased, he can cause trade to decay, and set every man against his neighbour; but when he returns in mercy, all is happy and prosperous…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16God expects his people to act with honesty and fairness (see Ephesians 4:25). your gates: Legal proceedings took place at the city or temple gates (see Deuteronomy 21:19; 25:7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. The promised blessings are connected with obedience. God's covenanted grace will lead those truly blessed by it to holiness, not licentiousness. truth to ... neighbour--not that the truth should not be spoken to foreigners too; but He makes it an aggravation of their sin, that they spared not even their brethren. Besides, and above all outward ordinances (Zec 7:3), God requires truth and justice. judgment of ... peace--Equitable decisions tend to…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 8:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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