New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord spoke his word through Haggai the prophet, saying,
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On the twenty-first day of the seventh month of that same year, the Lord spoke again through the prophet Haggai.
2 "Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the rest of the people who are left alive. Say,
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He 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 'Do any of you remember how great the Temple was before it was destroyed? What does it look like now? Doesn't it seem like nothing to you?'
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"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.
4 But the Lord says, 'Zerubbabel, be brave. Also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, be brave. And all you people who live in the land, be brave,' says the Lord. 'Work, because I am with you,' says the Lord All-Powerful.
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But now don't be discouraged, any of you. Do the work, for I am with you.
5 'I made a promise to you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit is still with you. So don't be afraid.'
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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 "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: 'In a short time I will once again shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
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"Before long I will shake heaven and earth, land and sea.
7 I will shake all the nations, and they will bring their wealth. Then I will fill this Temple with glory,' says the Lord All-Powerful.
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I will overthrow all the nations, and their treasures will be brought here, and the Temple will be filled with wealth.
8 'The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,' says the Lord All-Powerful.
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All the silver and gold of the world is mine.
9 'The new Temple will be greater than the one before,' says the Lord All-Powerful. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord All-Powerful."
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The 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.
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in the second year Darius was king, the Lord spoke his word to Haggai the prophet, saying,
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On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was emperor, the Lord Almighty spoke again to the prophet Haggai.
11 "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: 'Ask the priests for a teaching.
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He said, "Ask the priests for a ruling on this question:
12 Suppose a person carries in the fold of his clothes some meat made holy for the Lord. If that fold touches bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or some other food, will that be made holy?'" The priests answered, "No."
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Suppose someone takes a piece of consecrated meat from a sacrifice and carries it in a fold of his robe. If he then lets his robe touch any bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or any kind of food at all, will it make that food consecrated also?" When the question was asked, the priests answered, "No."
13 Then Haggai said, "A person who touches a dead body will become unclean. If he touches any of these foods, will it become unclean, too?" The priests answered, "Yes, it would become unclean."
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Then Haggai asked, "Suppose someone is defiled because he has touched a dead body. If he then touches any of these foods, will that make them defiled too?" The priests answered, "Yes."
14 Then Haggai answered, "The Lord says, 'This is also true for the people of this nation. They are unclean, and everything they do with their hands is unclean to me. Whatever they offer at the altar is also unclean.
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Then Haggai said, "The Lord says that the same thing applies to the people of this nation and to everything they produce; and so everything they offer on the altar is defiled."
15 "'Think about this from now on! Think about how it was before you started laying stones on top of stones to build the Temple of the Lord.
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The Lord says, "Can't you see what has happened to you? Before you started to rebuild the Temple,
16 A person used to come to a pile of grain expecting to find twenty basketfuls, but there were only ten. And a person used to come to the wine vat to take out fifty jarfuls, but only twenty were there.
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you would go to a pile of grain expecting to find twenty bushels, but there would be only ten. You would go to draw fifty gallons of wine from a vat, but find only twenty.
17 I destroyed your work with diseases, mildew, and hail, but you still did not come back to me,' says the Lord.
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I sent scorching winds and hail to ruin everything you tried to grow, but still you did not repent.
18 'It is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day in which the people finished working on the foundation of the Temple of the Lord. From now on, think about these things:
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Today is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day that the foundation of the Temple has been completed. See what is going to happen from now on.
19 Do you have seeds for crops still in the barn? Your vines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not given fruit yet. But from now on I will bless you!'"
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Although there is no grain left, and the grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced, yet from now on I will bless you."
20 Then the Lord spoke his word a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month. He said,
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On that same day, the twenty-fourth of the month, the Lord gave Haggai a second message
21 "Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
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for Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: "I am about to shake heaven and earth
22 I will destroy the foreign kingdoms and take away the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will destroy the chariots and their riders. The horses will fall with their riders, as people kill each other with swords.'
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and overthrow kingdoms and end their power. I will overturn chariots and their drivers; the horses will die, and their riders will kill one another.
23 The Lord All-Powerful says, 'On that day I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,' says the Lord, 'and I will make you important like my signet ring, because I have chosen you!' says the Lord All-Powerful."
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On that day I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, and I will appoint you to rule in my name. You are the one I have chosen." The Lord Almighty has spoken.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.