Zechariah 8:6

New Living Translation

"This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God's people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord All-Powerful says, "The survivors will think it is wonderful, and so will I!"

New American Standard Bible
"The LORD of armies says this: 'If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?' declares the LORD of armies.

New Century Version
This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "Those who are left alive then may think it is too difficult to happen, but it is not too difficult for me," says the Lord All-Powerful.

Update Bible Version
Thus says Yahweh of hosts: If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? says Yahweh of hosts.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

Amplified Bible
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If it is difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days [in which this comes to pass], will it also be difficult in My sight?' declares the LORD of hosts.

English Standard Version
Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts?

World English Bible
Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: "If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?" says Yahweh of Hosts.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Though it schal be seyn hard bifor the iyen of relifs of this puple in tho daies, whether bifor myn iyen it schal be hard, seith the Lord of oostis?

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

Berean Standard Bible
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: "If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in My eyes?" declares the LORD of Hosts.

Contemporary English Version
This may seem impossible for my people who are left, but it isn't impossible for me, the Lord All-Powerful.

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts.

Bible in Basic English
This is what the Lord of armies has said: If this is a wonder to the rest of this people, is it a wonder to me? says the Lord of armies.

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai -Tzva'ot says, ‘This may seem amazing to the survivors in those days, but must it also seem amazing to me?' says Adonai -Tzva'ot.

Darby Translation
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be wonderful in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in Mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

King James Version (1611)
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If it bee marueilous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes, should it also bee marueilous in my eyes, saith the Lord of hostes?

New Life Bible
The Lord of All says, ‘It may be wonderful to the few people here in those days, but will it be wonderful to Me also?' says the Lord of All.

New Revised Standard
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the Lord of hosts?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Though it be vnpossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes, should it therefore be vnpossible in my sight, sayth the Lord of hostes?

George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD of hosts: If this thing is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in my sight? says the LORD of hosts.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Because it will be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people, in those days, In mine own eyes also, shall it be marvellous? Demandeth Yahweh of hosts.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord of hosts: If it seem hard in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days: shall it be hard in my eyes, saith the Lord of hosts?

Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, says the LORD of hosts?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes: If the residue of this people thinke it to be vnpossible in [their] eyes in these dayes: shoulde it therfore be vnpossible in my sight, saith the Lorde of hoastes?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thus saith the Lord Almighty; If it shall be impossible in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, shall it also be impossible in my sight? saith the Lord Almighty.

Good News Translation
"This may seem impossible to those of the nation who are now left, but it's not impossible for me.

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord of Armies says this: “Though it may seem impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible to me?”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.

Hebrew Names Version
Thus says the LORD of Hosts: "If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?" says the LORD of Hosts.

King James Version
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.

Lexham English Bible
Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Even if it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in those days, should it also seem impossible to me?' declares Yahweh of hosts.

Literal Translation
So says Jehovah of Hosts: If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes? says Jehovah of Hosts.

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Surely it is wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, Also in Mine eyes it is wonderful, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes: yf the residue of this people thynke it to be vnpossible in these dayes, shulde it therfore be vnpossible in my sight, sayeth the LORDE of hoostes

THE MESSAGE
A Message from God -of-the-Angel-Armies: "Do the problems of returning and rebuilding by just a few survivors seem too much? But is anything too much for me? Not if I have my say."

New English Translation
And,' says the Lord who rules over all, ‘though such a thing may seem to be difficult in the opinion of the small community of those days, will it also appear difficult to me?' asks the Lord who rules over all.

New King James Version
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: "If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?' Says the LORD of hosts.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?' declares the LORD of hosts.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?' declares Yahweh of hosts.

Contextual Overview

¹ Then another message came to me from the Lord of Heaven's Armies: ² "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem! ³ "And now the Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Heaven's Armies will be called the Holy Mountain. ⁴ "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem's streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. ⁵ And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play. ⁶ "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God's people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven's Armies. ⁷ "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. ⁸ I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

marvellous: or, hard, or difficult

should: Genesis 18:14, Numbers 11:22, Numbers 11:23, 2 Kings 7:2, Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 32:27, Luke 1:20, Luke 1:37, Luke 18:27, Romans 4:20, Romans 4:21, Romans 6:19-21

Reciprocal: Ezra 9:8 - a remnant Ecclesiastes 5:8 - marvel Zechariah 8:12 - the remnant Matthew 19:26 - but Mark 10:27 - With men Luke 9:43 - amazed

Cross-References

Genesis 6:16
Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.

Daniel 6:10
But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... This is repeated for the same end as before; :-:

If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days; either in the then present days and time; and the sense is, if it should seem wonderful, incredible, and scarcely possible to the small number of the Jews in Judea, that all the great and good things before promised should be fulfilled; or in the times of the Gospel, when the remnant, according to the election of grace, would wonder at the marvellous loving kindness of the Lord, in doing each great things for his church and people:

should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts; no, not as if it was impossible to be done; it shall be done, as marvellous as it may seem to be. Aben Ezra understands these words, not as spoken by way of interrogation and admiration, but as an affirmation; that God would do that which was marvellous, and such as he had never done the like, even as follows:

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If it should be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those - (not these) days, shall it be marvelous in Mine eyes also? saith the Lord of hosts Man’s anticipations, by reason of his imperfections and the chequered character of earthly things, are always disappointing. God’s doings, by reason of His infinite greatness and goodness, are always beyond our anticipations, past all belief. It is their very greatness which staggers us. It is not then merely that the temporal promises seemed “too good to be true” (in our words) (Jerome), “in the eyes of the people who had come from the captivity, seeing that the city almost desolate, the ruins of the city-walls, the charred houses showed the doings of the Babylonians.” It is in the day of the fulfillment, not of the anticipation, that they would seem marvelous in their eyes, as the Psalmist says, “This is the Lord’s doing: and it is marvelous in our eyes” .

The temporal blessings which God would give were not so incredible. They were but the ordinary gifts of His Providence: they involved no change in their outward relations. His people were still to remain under their Persian masters, until their time too should come. It was matter of gladness and of God’s Providence, that the walls of Jerusalem should be rebuilt: but not so marvelous, when it came to pass. The mysteries of the Gospel are a marvel even to the blessed angels. That fulfillment being yet future, so the people, in whose eyes that fulfillment should be marvelous, were future also. And this was to be a remnant still. It does not say, “this people which is a remnant,” nor “this remnant of the people,” that is, those who remained over out of the people who went into captivity, or this remnant, but “the remnant of this people,” that is, those who should remain over of it, that is, of the people who were returned. It is the remnant of the larger whole, this people (see at Amos 1:8, vol. i. p. 247, n. 28, and on Haggai 1:12, p. 305). It is still “the remnant according to the election of grace;” that election which obtained what all Israel sought, but, seeking wrongly, were blinded Romans 11:5-7.

Shall it be marvelous in Mine eyes also? - It is an indirect question in the way of exclamation . “It be marvelous in Mine eyes also,” rejecting the thought, as alien from the nature of God, to whom “all things are possible, yea, what with men is impossible” Matthew 19:26. As God says to Jeremiah, “Behold, I am, the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27. “For with God nothing shall be impossible” Luke 1:37. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” Luke 18:27. “For with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27 Cyril: “For He is the Lord of all powers, fulfilling by His will what exceedingly surpasseth nature, and efecting at once what seemeth Him good. The mystery of the Incarnation passeth all marvel and discourse, and no less the benefits redounding to us. For how is it not next to incredible, that the Word, Begotten of God, should be united with the flesh and be in the form of a servant, and endure the Cross and the insults and outrages of the Jews? Or how should one not admire above measure the issue of the dispensation, whereby sin was destroyed, death abolished, corruption expelled, and man, once a recreant slave, became resplendent with the grace of an adopted son?”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zechariah 8:6. If it be marvellous — You may think that this is impossible, considering your present low condition: but suppose it be impossible in your eyes, should it be so in mine! saith the Lord of hosts.