2 ¹ on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:^{(B) 2} “Speak to Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,^[a](D) the high priest, and to the remnant^(E) of the people. Ask them, ³ ‘Who of you is left who saw this house^(F) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?^{(G) 4} But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,^(H) Joshua son of Jozadak,^(I) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with^(J) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁵ ‘This is what I covenanted^(K) with you when you came out of Egypt.^(L) And my Spirit^(M) remains among you. Do not fear.’^(N)

⁶ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while^(O) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,^(P) the sea and the dry land. ⁷ I will shake all nations, and what is desired^(Q) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house^(R) with glory,^(S)’ says the Lord Almighty. ⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold^(T) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁹ ‘The glory^(U) of this present house^(V) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,^(W)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,^(X) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests^(Y) what the law says: ¹² If someone carries consecrated meat^(Z) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?^(AA)’”

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³ Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.^(AB)”

¹⁴ Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people^(AC) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer^(AD) there is defiled.

¹⁵ “‘Now give careful thought^(AE) to this from this day on^[b]—consider how things were before one stone was laid^(AF) on another in the Lord’s temple.^{(AG) 16} When anyone came to a heap^(AH) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat^(AI) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.^{(AJ) 17} I struck all the work of your hands^(AK) with blight,^(AL) mildew and hail,^(AM) yet you did not return^(AN) to me,’ declares the Lord.^{(AO) 18} ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought^(AP) to the day when the foundation^(AQ) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: ¹⁹ Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate^(AR) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.^(AS)

“‘From this day on I will bless^(AT) you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai^(AU) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:^{(AV) 21} “Tell Zerubbabel^(AW) governor of Judah that I am going to shake^(AX) the heavens and the earth. ²² I will overturn^(AY) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.^(AZ) I will overthrow chariots^(BA) and their drivers; horses and their riders^(BB) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.^(BC)

²³ “‘On that day,^(BD)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant^(BE) Zerubbabel^(BF) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,^(BG) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

6 Therefore let us move beyond^(A) the elementary teachings^(B) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,^[a](C) and of faith in God, ² instruction about cleansing rites,^[b](D) the laying on of hands,^(E) the resurrection of the dead,^(F) and eternal judgment. ³ And God permitting,^(G) we will do so.

⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,^(H) who have tasted the heavenly gift,^(I) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,^{(J) 5} who have tasted the goodness^(K) of the word of God^(L) and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.^(M) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God^(N) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. ⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.^(O) In the end it will be burned.

⁹ Even though we speak like this, dear friends,^(P) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. ¹⁰ God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.^{(Q) 11} We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope^(R) for may be fully realized. ¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate^(S) those who through faith and patience^(T) inherit what has been promised.^(U)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^{(V) 14} saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^{[d](W) 15} And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.^(X)

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.^{(Y) 17} Because God wanted to make the unchanging^(Z) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,^(AA) he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,^(AB) we who have fled to take hold of the hope^(AC) set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,^{(AD) 20} where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.^(AE) He has become a high priest^(AF) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.^(AG)