THE ORIGINAL BIBLE
for Modern Readers


"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words . . . and keep the things that are written in it . . ."
Revelation 1:3 "Every Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." —2 Timothy 3:16-17

"For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart." —Hebrews 4:12


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THE ORIGINAL BIBLE for Modern Readers
a copyright-free Bible in the public domain


OLD TESTAMENT
Genesis  Exodus  Leviticus  Numbers  Deuteronomy  Joshua  Judges  Ruth  1 Samuel  2 Samuel  1 Kings  2 Kings  1 Chronicles  2 Chronicles  Ezra  Nehemiah  Esther  Job  Psalms  Proverbs  Ecclesiastes  Song of Solomon  Isaiah  Jeremiah  Lamentations  Ezekiel  Daniel  Hosea  Joel  Amos  Obadiah  Jonah  Micah  Nahum  Habakkuk  Zephaniah  Haggai  Zechariah  Malachi 
NEW TESTAMENT
Matthew  Mark  Luke  John  Acts  Romans  1 Corinthians  2 Corinthians  Galatians  Ephesians  Philippians  Colossians  1 Thessalonians  2 Thessalonians  1 Timothy  2 Timothy  Titus  Philemon  Hebrews  James  1 Peter  2 Peter  1 John  2 John  3 John  Jude  Revelation 
ZECHARIAH chapter  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14


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1 Open your doors, Lebanon,

that the fire may devour your cedars.

2 Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen,

because the stately ones are destroyed.

Wail, you oaks of Bashan,

for the strong forest has come down.

3 A voice of the wailing of the shepherds!

For their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions!

For the pride of the Jordan is ruined.

4 Jehovah my God says: “Feed the flock of slaughter. 5 Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be Jehovah, for I am rich;’ and their own shepherds don’t pity them. 6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land,” says Jehovah; “but, behold, I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbor’s hand, and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.”

7 So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favor,” and the other I called “Union,” and I fed the flock. 8 I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me. 9 Then I said, “I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other’s flesh.” 10 I took my staff Favor, and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was Jehovah’s word. 12 I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Jehovah said to me, “Throw it to the potter, the handsome price that I was valued at by them!” I took the thirty pieces of silver, and threw them to the potter, in Jehovah’s house. 14 Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15 Jehovah said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces. 17 Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”

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