"This is what the LORD of hosts says: These people say, 'The time hasn't yet come, the time for the LORD's house to be built.'"

"Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?

Now therefore this is what the LORD of hosts says: Consider your ways.

You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you do not have enough. You drink, but you aren't filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it."

This is what the LORD of hosts says: "Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified," says the LORD.

"You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts, "Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house.

'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn't it in your eyes as nothing?

Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD. 'Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work, for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts.

This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. 'Do not be afraid.'

For this is what the LORD of hosts says: 'Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;

'If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with his fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become holy?'" The priests answered, "No."

Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?" The priests answered, "It will be unclean."

Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only twenty.

I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you did not turn to me,' says the LORD.

'Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider it.

Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven't brought forth. From this day will I bless you.'"