New Century Version NCV
New Living Translation NLT
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord spoke his word through Haggai the prophet, saying,
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Then on October 17 of that same year, the LORD sent another message 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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“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:
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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‘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!
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 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.
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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My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. 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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“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.
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 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.
8 'The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,' says the Lord All-Powerful.
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The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
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 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!”
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 December 18 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD sent this message to the prophet Haggai:
11 "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: 'Ask the priests for a teaching.
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“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law:
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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‘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.”
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, “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.”
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 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.
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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Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the LORD ’s 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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When 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.
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 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 .
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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“Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the LORD ’s Temple was laid. Think carefully.
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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I 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.”
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, December 18, the LORD sent this second message to Haggai:
21 "Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
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“Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the 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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I 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.
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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“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!”
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.