⁸ In the second month^(A) of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel^(B) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty^(C) years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. ⁹ Joshua^(D) and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah^[a]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.

¹⁰ When the builders laid^(E) the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets,^(F) and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise^(G) the Lord, as prescribed by David^(H) king of Israel.^{(I) 11} With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

And all the people gave a great shout^(K) of praise to the Lord, because the foundation^(L) of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple,^(M) wept^(N) aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. ¹³ No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy^(O) from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

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

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

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues^(A) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride,^(B) the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And he carried me away^(C) in the Spirit^(D) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.^{(E) 11} It shone with the glory of God,^(F) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,^(G) clear as crystal.^(H)

²² I did not see a temple^(A) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty^(B) and the Lamb^(C) are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God^(D) gives it light,^(E) and the Lamb^(F) is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.^{(G) 25} On no day will its gates^(H) ever be shut,^(I) for there will be no night there.^{(J) 26} The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.^{(K) 27} Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,^(L) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(M)