1. The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
2. ‘I will sweep away everythingfrom the face of the earth,’declares the Lord.
3. ‘I will sweep away both man and beast;I will sweep away the birds in the skyand the fish in the sea –and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.’‘When I destroy all mankindon the face of the earth,’declares the Lord,
4. ‘I will stretch out my hand against Judahand against all who live in Jerusalem.I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,the very names of the idolatrous priests –
5. those who bow down on the roofsto worship the starry host,those who bow down and swear by the Lordand who also swear by Molek,
6. those who turn back from following the Lordand neither seek the Lord nor enquire of him.’
7. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord,for the day of the Lord is near.The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;he has consecrated those he has invited.
8. ‘On the day of the Lord’s sacrificeI will punish the officialsand the king’s sonsand all those cladin foreign clothes.
9. On that day I will punishall who avoid stepping on the threshold,who fill the temple of their godswith violence and deceit.
10. ‘On that day,’declares the Lord,‘a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,wailing from the New Quarter,and a loud crash from the hills.