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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.”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai^(A) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:^{(B) 21} “Tell Zerubbabel^(C) governor of Judah that I am going to shake^(D) the heavens and the earth. ²² I will overturn^(E) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.^(F) I will overthrow chariots^(G) and their drivers; horses and their riders^(H) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.^(I)

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

³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law^(A) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(B) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(C) must be lifted up’?^(D) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

³⁵ Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light^(E) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(F) before darkness overtakes you.^(G) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”^(H) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(I)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(J) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory^(M) and spoke about him.^(N)

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(O) But because of the Pharisees^(P) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^{(Q) 43} for they loved human praise^(R) more than praise from God.^(S)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^{(T) 45} The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^{(U) 46} I have come into the world as a light,^(V) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^{(W) 48} There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them^(X) at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(Y) to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life.^(Z) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”^(AA)