12. "Your seeds will grow well. Your vines will bear fruit. The ground will produce crops for you. And the heavens will drop their dew on your land. I will give all of those things to those who are still left alive here.
13. "Judah and Israel, in the past the nations called down curses on you. But now I will save you. You will be a blessing to others. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong so that you can do my work."
14. The Lord who rules over all says, "Years ago your people made me angry. So I decided to bring trouble on them. I did not show them any pity.
15. But now I plan to do good things to Jerusalem and Judah again. So do not be afraid.
16. "Here is what you must do. Speak the truth to one another. Make true and wise decisions in your courts.
17. Do not make evil plans against your neighbors. When you take an oath to tell the truth, do not lie. Many people love to do that. But I hate all of those things," announces the Lord.
18. Another message came to me from the Lord who rules over all. He said,
19. "You have established special times to go without eating. They are your fasts in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. They will become days of joy. They will be happy times for Judah. It will happen if you take delight in telling the truth and bringing about peace."
20. He continued, "Many nations will still come to you. And those who live in many cities will also come.
21. The people who live in one city will go to another city. They will say, 'Let's go right away to ask the Lord to show us his favor. Let's look to him as our God. We ourselves are going.'
22. Large numbers of people and nations will come to Jerusalem. They will look to me. They will ask me to show them my favor."