“ 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.”

“万军之耶和华如此说：四月、五月禁食的日子，七月、十月禁食的日子，必变为犹大家欢喜快乐的日子和欢乐的节期；所以你们要喜爱诚实与和平。”

“万军之耶和华如此说：四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食，必成为犹大家的欢喜和快乐，以及美好的节期；所以你们要喜爱诚实与和平。

“万军之耶和华如此说：四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食，必成为犹大家的欢喜和快乐，以及美好的节期；所以你们要喜爱诚实与和平。

“万军之耶和华说，‘四月、五月、七月、十月的禁食必成为犹大家欢喜快乐的日子和幸福的节期。因此，你们要喜爱真理与和平。

“万军之耶和华这样说：‘四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食都要变为犹大家欢喜快乐的日子和欢乐的节期。所以，你们要喜爱诚实与和平。’

「萬軍之耶和華如此說：四月、五月禁食的日子，七月、十月禁食的日子，必變為猶大家歡喜快樂的日子和歡樂的節期；所以你們要喜愛誠實與和平。」

「萬軍之耶和華如此說：四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食，必成為猶大家的歡喜和快樂，以及美好的節期；所以你們要喜愛誠實與和平。

「萬軍之耶和華如此說：四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食，必成為猶大家的歡喜和快樂，以及美好的節期；所以你們要喜愛誠實與和平。

「萬軍之耶和華說，『四月、五月、七月、十月的禁食必成為猶大家歡喜快樂的日子和幸福的節期。因此，你們要喜愛真理與和平。

“萬軍之耶和華這樣說：‘四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食都要變為猶大家歡喜快樂的日子和歡樂的節期。所以，你們要喜愛誠實與和平。’

『萬軍之永恆主這麼說：四月的禁食和五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食、都要變為猶大家高興歡喜的日子和快樂的節期；但是真實與和平你們總要喜愛。』

「萬軍之耶和華如此說：『四月的禁食、五月的禁食、七月的禁食和十月的禁食，都將成為猶大家的歡樂、喜樂、快樂的節期；你們要喜愛真理與和平。』

萬軍之耶和華云、四月五月、七月十月、禁食之期、在猶大家、將為喜樂歡忭之期、欣悅之節、爾宜誠實和平是好、

四五七十月間、猶大家禁食之時、將為欣喜歡忭之節期、惟爾所專務者、真實和平而已、我萬有之主耶和華已言之矣。

萬有之主如是云、四月禁食之日、五月禁食之日、七月禁之日、十月禁食之日、將在猶大族中、變為歡樂欣喜之日、變為佳良之節期、惟爾當好真實與和平、

This is what the Lord Almighty says:“ The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”

“ Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.

“ 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.

The LORD of Armies says this:“ The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.”

“ The Lord of armies says this:‘ The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, jubilation, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.’

“ Thus says the Lord of hosts:‘ The fast of the fourth month, The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.

“ The Lord of Hosts says this: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will become times of joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.”

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth[ month], and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

“ The LORD who rules over all says,‘ The fast of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful and happy, pleasant feasts for the house of Judah, so love truth and peace.’

Yahweh of Armies says:“ The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

“ Ask the priests and all the people in the land a question for me. Say to them,‘ You mourned and fasted in the fifth and seventh months. You did it for the past 70 years. But did you really do it for me?

Here is what you must do. Speak the truth to one another. Make true and wise decisions in your courts.

The city wall was broken through. It happened on the ninth day of the fourth month. It was in the 11th year of Zedekiah’s rule.

But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came with ten men. He killed Gedaliah. He also killed the people of Judah and the Babylonians who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. Nethaniah was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was a member of the royal family.

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He marched out against Jerusalem. All his armies went with him. It was in the ninth year of the rule of Zedekiah. It was on the tenth day of the tenth month. The armies set up camp outside the city. They set up ladders and built ramps and towers all around it.

You turned my loud crying into dancing. You removed my clothes of sadness and dressed me with joy.

They went to the prophets and priests at the Lord’ s temple. They asked them,“ Should we mourn and go without eating in the fifth month? That’s what we’ve done for many years.”

Those the Lord has saved will return to their land. They will sing as they enter the city of Zion. Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads. They will be filled with gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing will be gone.

He promised to save us from our enemies. Then we could serve him without fear.He wants us to be holy and godly as long as we live.

By the ninth day of the fourth month, there wasn’t any food left in the city. So the people didn’t have anything to eat.Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley.

Mordecai told the Jews to celebrate the time when they got rest from their enemies. That was the month when their sadness was turned into joy. It was when their weeping turned into a day for celebrating. He wrote the letters to celebrate those days as times of joy. He wanted the people to enjoy good food. He told them to give presents of food to one another. He also wanted them to give gifts to people who were poor.

In days to come, the people of Israel will sing,“ Lord, we will praise you. You were angry with us. But now your anger has turned away from us. And you have brought us comfort.

By the ninth day of the fourth month, there wasn’t any food left in the city. So the people didn’t have anything to eat.Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away. They left the city at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls that were near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley.

They celebrated and enjoyed good food. They were glad and full of joy. That was true everywhere the king’s order came. It was true in every territory and every city. Many people from other nations announced that they had become Jews. That’s because they were so afraid of the Jews.

Those the Lord has saved will return to their land. They will sing as they enter the city of Zion. Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads. They will be filled with gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing will be gone.

They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion. They will be joyful because of everything I give them. I give them grain, olive oil and fresh wine. I give them the young animals in their flocks and herds. Israel will be like a garden that has plenty of water. And they will not be sad anymore.Then young women will dance and be glad. And so will the men, young and old alike. I will turn their mourning into gladness. I will comfort them. And I will give them joy instead of sorrow.

God’s grace has now appeared. By his grace, God offers to save all people.His grace teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful desires. We must control ourselves. We must do what is right. We must lead godly lives in today’s world.

Outside the city are those who are impure. These people include those who practice witchcraft. Outside are also those who commit sexual sins and murder. Outside are those who worship statues of gods. And outside is everyone who loves and does what is false.

In the seventh month Ishmael came with ten men to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. Ishmael was the son of Nethaniah. Nethaniah was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was a member of the royal family. He had been one of the king’s officers. Ishmael and his ten men were eating together at Mizpah.They got up and struck down Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, with their swords. They killed him even though the king of Babylon had appointed him as governor over Judah. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan.Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. And he killed the Babylonian soldiers who were there.

Nebuzaradan served the king of Babylon. In fact, he was commander of the royal guard. He came to Jerusalem. It was in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. It was on the tenth day of the fifth month.Nebuzaradan set the Lord’ s temple on fire. He also set fire to the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He burned down every important building.The armies of Babylon broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. That’s what the commander told them to do.Some of the poorest people still remained in the city along with the others. But the commander Nebuzaradan took them away as prisoners. He also took the rest of the skilled workers. That included the people who had joined the king of Babylon.