¹⁴So the Lord stirred up the spirits of Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and the high priest Jeshua. He also stirred up the rest of the people to help them. Then everyone began to work on the temple of the Lord who rules over all. He is their God. ¹⁵It was the 24th day of the sixth month of the second year that Darius was king.

The New Temple Will Be Beautiful

2A second message came to me from the Lord. It came on the 21st day of the seventh month. The Lord said, ²“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and the son of Shealtiel. Also speak to the high priest Jeshua, the son of Jehozadak. And speak to all of my people who are still left alive. Ask them, ³‘Did any of you who are here see how beautiful this temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It doesn’t look so good, does it?

⁴“ ‘But be strong, Zerubbabel,’ announces the Lord. ‘Be strong, Jeshua. Be strong, all of you people in the land,’ announces the Lord. ‘Start rebuilding. I am with you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all. ⁵‘That is what I promised you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit continues to be with you. So do not be afraid.’ ”

⁶The Lord says, “In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth once more. I will also shake the ocean and the dry land. ⁷I will shake all of the nations. Then what they consider to be priceless will come to my temple. And I will fill the temple with glory,” says the Lord who rules over all.

⁸“The silver belongs to me. So does the gold,” announces the Lord. ⁹“The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was,” says the Lord. “And in this place I will give peace to my people,” announces the Lord who rules over all.

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