| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the LORD spoke again through the prophet Haggai: | 1Then on October 17 of that same year, the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. |
| 2"Ask the following questions to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the remnant of the people: | 2“Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: |
| 3Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn't it nothing by comparison? | 3‘Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! |
| 4Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD. 'Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you citizens of the land,' says the LORD, 'and begin to work. For I am with you,' says the LORD who rules over all. | 4But now the LORD says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 5Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.' | 5My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ |
| 6Moreover, the LORD who rules over all says: 'In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. | 6“For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. |
| 7I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD who rules over all. | 7I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 8The silver and gold will be mine,' says the LORD who rules over all. | 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. |
| 9The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,' the LORD who rules over all declares, 'and in this place I will give peace.'" | 9The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” Blessings Promised for Obedience |
| 10On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius' second year, the LORD spoke again to the prophet Haggai: | 10On December 18 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD sent this message to the prophet Haggai: |
| 11"The LORD who rules over all says, 'Ask the priests about the law. | 11“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: |
| 12If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his garment and that fold touches bread, a boiled dish, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that item become holy?'" The priests answered, "It will not." | 12‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’” The priests replied, “No.” |
| 13Then Haggai asked, "If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?" The priests answered, "It will be unclean." | 13Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?” And the priests answered, “Yes.” |
| 14Then Haggai responded, "'The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,' says the LORD. 'And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean. | 14Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the LORD. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin. |
| 15Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the LORD's temple. | 15Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the LORD’s Temple. |
| 16From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. | 16When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty. |
| 17I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,' says the LORD. | 17I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything you worked so hard to produce. Even so, you refused to return to me, says the LORD. |
| 18Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the LORD was resumed, think about it. | 18“Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the LORD’s Temple was laid. Think carefully. |
| 19The seed is still in the storehouse, isn't it? And the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not produced. Nevertheless, from today on I will bless you.'" | 19I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.” Promises for Zerubbabel |
| 20Then the LORD spoke again to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: | 20On that same day, December 18, the LORD sent this second message to Haggai: |
| 21Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: 'I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. | 21“Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth. |
| 22I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. | 22I will overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of foreign kingdoms. I will overturn their chariots and riders. The horses will fall, and their riders will kill each other. |
| 23On that day,' says the LORD who rules over all, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,' says the LORD, 'and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,' says the LORD who rules over all." | 23“But when this happens, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the LORD, for I have chosen you. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” |
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