^14 (A)So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the ^[a]command of ^(B)Cyrus, ^(C)Darius, and ^(D)Artaxerxes king of Persia.

The Arrival of Ezra

7 Now after these things, in the reign of ^(A)Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the ^(B)son of Seraiah, ^(C)the son of Azariah, the son of ^(D)Hilkiah,

²⁴ Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Restoration of the Temple Resumed^(A)

5 Then the prophet ^(B)Haggai and ^(C)Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. ² So ^(D)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of ^[a]Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and ^(E)the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

¹³ Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent.

End of the Babylonian Captivity^(A)

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord ^(B)by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, ^(C)so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

Vision of the Measuring Line

2 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, ^(A)a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² So I said, “Where are you going?”

And he said to me, ^(B)“To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

³ And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, ⁴ who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ^(C)‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it.

² “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: ^3 (A)‘Who is left among you who saw this ^[a]temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, ^(B)is this not in your eyes as nothing? ⁴ Yet now ^(C)be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. ^5 (D)‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so ^(E)My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’

⁶ “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(F)‘Once more (it is a little while) ^(G)I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; ⁷ and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to ^(H)the ^[b]Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this ^[c]temple with ^(I)glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ⁸ ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ^9 (J)‘The glory of this latter ^[d]temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give ^(K)peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

The People Are Defiled

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ¹¹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ^(L)ask the priests concerning the law, saying, ¹² “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?” ’ ”

Then the priests answered and said, “No.”

¹³ And Haggai said, “If one who is ^(M)unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?”

So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”

¹⁴ Then Haggai answered and said, ^(N)“ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

Promised Blessing

¹⁵ ‘And now, carefully ^(O)consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord—