1. On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet:
2. “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people:
3. Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn’t it seem like nothing to you?
4. Even so, be strong, Zerubbabel” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “Work! For I am with you” — the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
5. “This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt, and My Spirit is present among you; don’t be afraid.”
6. For the Lord of Hosts says this: “Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
7. I will shake all the nations so that the treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,” says the Lord of Hosts.
8. “The silver and gold belong to Me” — this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
9. “The final glory of this house will be greater than the first,” says the Lord of Hosts. “I will provide peace in this place” — this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.
10. On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet:
11. “This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Ask the priests for a ruling.
12. If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does it become holy? ” The priests answered, “No.”
13. Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled? ” The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”
14. Then Haggai replied, “So is this people, and so is this nation before Me” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “And so is every work of their hands; even what they offer there is defiled.
15. “Now, reflect back from this day: Before one stone was placed on another in the Lord’s temple,