² “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” ’ ”

³ Then the word of the Lord ^(A)came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ⁴ “Is it ^(B)time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this ^[a]temple to lie in ruins?” ⁵ Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(C)“Consider your ways!

⁷ Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! ⁸ Go up to the ^(F)mountains and bring wood and build the ^[b]temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

God’s Covenant with David^(A)

7 Now it came to pass ^(B)when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, ² that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in ^(C)a house of cedar, ^(D)but the ark of God dwells inside tent ^(E)curtains.”

³ Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your ^(F)heart, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ⁵ “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^(G)“Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? ⁶ For I have not dwelt in a house ^(H)since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in ^(I)a tent and in a tabernacle. ⁷ Wherever I have ^(J)moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded ^(K)to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ ⁸ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(L)“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. ⁹ And ^(M)I have been with you wherever you have gone, ^(N)and have ^[a]cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.

^46 (A)who found favor before God and ^(B)asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. ^47 (C)But Solomon built Him a house.

⁴⁸ “However, ^(D)the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

Israel Resists the Holy Spirit

⁵¹ “You ^(G)stiff-necked^[a] and ^(H)uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

^8 (A)But you shall receive power ^(B)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and ^(C)you shall be ^[a]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and ^(D)Samaria, and to the ^(E)end of the earth.”

Coming with Authority

13 This will be ^(A)the third time I am coming to you. ^(B)“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” ^2 (C)I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent ^[a]I write to those ^(D)who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again ^(E)I will not spare— ³ since you seek a proof of Christ ^(F)speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty ^(G)in you. ^4 (H)For though He was crucified in weakness, yet ^(I)He lives by the power of God. For ^(J)we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

Appreciation of the Mystery

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees to the ^(A)Father ^[a]of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, ^(B)according to the riches of His glory, ^(C)to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in ^(D)the inner man, ^17 (E)that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, ^(F)being rooted and grounded in love, ^18 (G)may be able to comprehend with all the saints ^(H)what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled ^(I)with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now ^(J)to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly ^(K)above all that we ask or think, ^(L)according to the power that works in us,

⁷ that ^(A)the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though ^(B)it is tested by fire, ^(C)may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,