The Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees 1 UDB Then the angel who had been talking with me returned, and he called to me while I was thinking deeply, as though I had been asleep. BSB BSB: Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep.
2 UDB He asked me, "What do you see?" I replied, "I see a lampstand made completely of gold. There is a small bowl for olive oil at the top, and there are seven small lamps around the bowl, and a place for seven wicks on each lamp. BSB BSB: “What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps.
3 UDB Furthermore, I see two olive trees, one at the right side of the lampstand and one at the left side." BSB BSB: There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 UDB I asked the angel who was talking with me, "Sir, what do these things mean?" BSB BSB: “What are these, my lord?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me.
5 UDB He replied, "Surely you know what they mean." I replied, "No, I do not know." BSB BSB: “Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered.
6 UDB Then the angel said to me, "This is the message from Yahweh to you, Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: 'You will do what I want you to do, but it will not be by your own strength or power. It will be done by the power of my Spirit,' says Yahweh, commander of the angel armies." BSB BSB: So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
7 UDB The angel continued to speak to me: "Zerubbabel, you have many difficult matters to handle. They are like high mountains. But it will be as though they became flat land. And you will bring to the new temple the final stone, the highest stone, to complete it. When you set it in place, all the people will shout repeatedly, 'It is beautiful! May God bless it!'" BSB BSB: What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
8 UDB Then Yahweh gave me another message. BSB BSB: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9 UDB He said to me, "Zerubbabel himself laid some of the stones for the foundation of the temple, and he will put some of the last stones in their places." Then I said to the other men with him, "When that happens, the people will know that it is Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, who has sent me to you. BSB BSB: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.
10 UDB The people who are mocking the slow way in which they are building the temple again—these same people will be glad when they see Zerubbabel holding a plumb line in his hand. The seven lamps represent the eyes of Yahweh, who looks back and forth at everything that happens all over the earth." BSB BSB: For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
11 UDB Then I asked the angel, "What is the meaning of the two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand? BSB BSB: Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
12 UDB And what is the meaning of the two olive branches, one alongside each of the gold pipes from which olive oil flows to the lamps?" BSB BSB: And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes from which the golden oil pours?”
13 UDB He replied, "Surely you know what they are." I replied, "No, sir, I do not know." BSB BSB: “Do you not know what these are?” he inquired. “No, my lord,” I replied.
14 UDB So he said, "They represent the two men whom the Lord who rules the whole earth has appointed." BSB BSB: So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”