Haggai 1:14–2:9

¹⁴The Lord inspired everyone to work on the Temple: Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah; Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people who had returned from the exile.^c They began working on the Temple of the Lord Almighty, their God, ¹⁵on the 24th day of the sixth month of the second year that Darius was emperor.

The Splendour of the New Temple

2On the 21st day of the seventh month of that same year, the Lord spoke again through the prophet Haggai. ²He told Haggai to speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, to Joshua, the High Priest, and to the people, and to say to them, ^3*“Is there anyone among you who can still remember how splendid the Temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all. ⁴But now don’t be discouraged, any of you. Do the work, for I am with you. ^5*When you came out of Egypt, I promised that I would always be with you. I am still with you, so do not be afraid.

^6*“Before long I will shake heaven and earth, land and sea. ⁷I will overthrow all the nations, and their treasures will be brought here, and the Temple will be filled with wealth. ⁸All the silver and gold of the world is mine. ⁹The new Temple will be more splendid than the old one, and there I will give my people prosperity and peace.” The Lord Almighty has spoken.