16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;
16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute
16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;
16 And now here's what I want you to do: Tell the truth, the whole truth, when you speak. Do the right thing by one another, both personally and in your courts.
16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.
17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.
17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.
17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord."
17 Don't cook up plans to take unfair advantage of others. Don't do or say what isn't so. I hate all that stuff. Keep your lives simple and honest." Decree of God.
17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,' Says the Lord."
17 Don't scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord ."
(Read Zechariah 8:9-17)
Those only who lay their hands to the plough of duty, shall have them strengthened with the promises of mercy: those who avoid their fathers' faults have the curse turned into a blessing. Those who believed the promises, were to show their faith by their works, and to wait the fulfilment. When God is displeased, he can cause trade to decay, and set every man against his neighbour; but when he returns in mercy, all is happy and prosperous. Surely believers in Christ must not trifle with the exhortation to put away lying, and to speak every man peace with his neighbour, to hate what the Lord hates, and to love that wherein he delights.
9 "This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.
9 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute
9 "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
9 Well, the message hasn't changed. God-of-the-Angel-Armies said then and says now: "'Treat one another justly. Love your neighbors. Be compassionate with each other.
9 "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother.
9 "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.
(Read Zechariah 7:8-14)
God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians. The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace. The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God. Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to their fathers. Great sins against the Lord of hosts, bring great wrath from his power, which cannot be resisted. Sin, if regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer. The Lord always hears the cry of the broken-hearted penitent; yet all who die impenitent and unbelieving, will find no remedy or refuge from miseries which while here they despised and defied, but which they then will not be able to bear.
10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'
10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."
10 Don't take advantage of widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor. Don't plot and scheme against one another - that's evil.'
10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.'
10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.
(Read Zechariah 7:8-14)
God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians. The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace. The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God. Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to their fathers. Great sins against the Lord of hosts, bring great wrath from his power, which cannot be resisted. Sin, if regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer. The Lord always hears the cry of the broken-hearted penitent; yet all who die impenitent and unbelieving, will find no remedy or refuge from miseries which while here they despised and defied, but which they then will not be able to bear.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Zechariah 8:16
Commentary on Zechariah 8:9-17
(Read Zechariah 8:9-17)
Those only who lay their hands to the plough of duty, shall have them strengthened with the promises of mercy: those who avoid their fathers' faults have the curse turned into a blessing. Those who believed the promises, were to show their faith by their works, and to wait the fulfilment. When God is displeased, he can cause trade to decay, and set every man against his neighbour; but when he returns in mercy, all is happy and prosperous. Surely believers in Christ must not trifle with the exhortation to put away lying, and to speak every man peace with his neighbour, to hate what the Lord hates, and to love that wherein he delights.