Old Testament
The Book of Zechariah
The Book of Zechariah is the forty-third of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 14 chapters and 211 verses. The Douay-Rheims calls it Zacharias.
About Zechariah
About Zechariah · Prophetic visions
Zechariah, a contemporary of Haggai, encouraged the same temple-builders with a series of night visions of God's renewed favor toward Jerusalem, followed by later chapters looking toward a strange, humble king. The book's two halves differ enough that many scholars see the later oracles as coming from his school. It was written to lift a discouraged community's eyes from rubble to promise. The Gospels quote it constantly in the Passion: the king on a donkey, the thirty pieces of silver, the shepherd struck, the one they have pierced.
| Testament | Old Testament — book 43 of 46, 43 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 14 |
| Verses | 211, as Bless numbers them |
| In the Douay-Rheims | Zacharias |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 14 chapters · 59 notes |
| Catechism | 8 paragraphs cite it |
Chapter by chapter
All 14 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
Zechariah 1
21 versesThe prophet exhorts the people to return to God, and declares his visions, by which he puts them in hopes of better times.
Zechariah 2
13 versesUnder the name of Jerusalem, he prophesieth the progress of the church of Christ, by the conversion of some Jews and many Gentiles.
Zechariah 3
10 versesIn a vision Satan appeareth accusing the high priest. He is cleansed from his sins. Christ is promised, and great fruit from his passion.
Zechariah 4
14 versesThe vision of the golden candlestick and seven lamps, and of the two olive trees.
Zechariah 5
11 versesThe vision of the flying volume, and of the woman in the vessel.
Zechariah 6
15 versesThe vision of the four chariots. Crowns are ordered for Jesus the high priest, as a type of Christ.
Zechariah 7
14 versesThe people inquire concerning fasting: they are admonished to fast from sin.
Zechariah 8
23 versesJoyful promises to Jerusalem: fully verified in the church of Christ.
Zechariah 9
17 versesGod will defend his church, and bring over even her enemies to the faith. The meek coming of Christ, to bring peace, to deliver the captives by his blood, and to give us all good things.
Zechariah 10
12 versesGod is to be sought to, and not idols. The victories of his church, which shall arise originally from the Jewish nation.
Zechariah 11
17 versesThe destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. God's dealings with the Jews, and their reprobation.
Zechariah 12
14 versesGod shall protect his church against her persecutors. The mourning of Jerusalem.
Zechariah 13
9 versesThe fountain of Christ. Idols and false prophets shall be extirpated: Christ shall suffer: his people shall be tried by fire.
Zechariah 14
21 versesAfter the persecutions of the church shall follow great prosperity. Persecutors shall be punished: so shall all that will not serve God in his church.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
In the comments
What the saints said.
2 quotations from 2 saints linked to passages of Zechariah in Bless. Each names the work it comes from.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini · on Zechariah 4:6
On this theme
We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success, nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone.
Letters, c. 1900
St. Bonaventure · on Zechariah 12:10
On this theme
O human heart, you are harder than any hardness of rocks, if at the recollection of such great expiation you are not struck with terror, nor moved with compassion, nor shattered with compunction, nor softened with devoted love.
The Tree of Life, c. 1260
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Zechariah is read at the principal Mass on 4 days in the US calendar. The next 6 readings:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of Guadalupe | First Reading | Zechariah 2:14-17 | |
| computed | Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15a |
| computed | St. Vincent de Paul, Priest | First Reading | Zechariah 8:1-8 |
| computed | Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Zechariah 8:20-23 |
| computed | Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Zechariah 12:10-11; 13:1 |
| computed | Our Lady of Guadalupe | First Reading | Zechariah 2:14-17 |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.