In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
Parallel translations
- WEB In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”
- BSB On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
- NKJV In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.
- NASB On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.
- NLT On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In that day Jerusalem will be told not to fear or let its hands grow weak. It matters because God's saving presence replaces fear and discouragement with strength.
Overview
'Don't be afraid' and 'don't let your hands be weak' are calls to courage and renewed strength rooted in God's nearness. The promise counters the despair that judgment had threatened. This assurance anticipates the comfort Christ gives His people, who need not fear because He is with them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Heb 12:12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
- Isa 35:3–4Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
- Eph 3:13Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
- Isa 41:10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
- Gal 6:9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
- Rev 2:3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
- Isa 44:2Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
- 2 Cor 4:1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
- Jer 46:27–28But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
- Isa 43:1–2But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
- Isa 41:13–14For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
- Isa 40:9O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
- Job 4:3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
- Zech 8:15So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
- Heb 12:3–5For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
- John 12:12On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
- Isa 54:4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
- Hag 2:4–5Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
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Christ at the center
The day of the LORD gives way to the promise that God himself will be in the midst of his people, rejoicing over them with singing — fulfilled in the saving presence of Christ.
How Zephaniah 3:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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