Haggai 2 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, a message came from Yahweh through the prophet Haggai:

Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak the head priest, and to everyone left of the people:

Which of you is still here who saw this house in its former splendor? And what does it look like to you now? Set against that, it looks like nothing, doesn't it?

But be strong now, Zerubbabel, says Yahweh. Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, head priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, says Yahweh, and get to work, because I am with you, says Yahweh who commands armies.

This is the promise I cut with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Breath is standing right there among you. Don't be afraid.

This is what Yahweh who commands armies says: Once more, and it will be soon, I am going to shake the sky and the land, the sea and the dry ground.

I will shake every nation, and the treasure of every nation will come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says Yahweh who commands armies.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says Yahweh who commands armies.

The splendor of this house in its later days will be greater than in its early days, says Yahweh who commands armies. And in this place I will give peace, says Yahweh who commands armies.

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, a message came from Yahweh to the prophet Haggai:

This is what Yahweh who commands armies says: Go and ask the priests for a ruling.

Suppose a man is carrying meat that belongs to God, wrapped in the fold of his robe, and the fold brushes against bread or stew or wine or oil or any other food. Does that food belong to God too? The priests answered, "No."

Then Haggai said, "Suppose someone who has touched a dead body touches any of these. Does it become contaminated?" The priests answered, "It becomes contaminated."

Then Haggai said, That is how these people are, and that is how this nation is in front of me, says Yahweh, and that is how everything their hands make is. Whatever they bring and offer there is contaminated.

So now, think carefully about the way things have gone, from today looking back, before one stone was set on another in Yahweh's temple.

Through all that time, when a man came to a pile expecting twenty measures of grain, there were ten. When he came to the vat to draw off fifty jars from the press, there were twenty.

I struck everything your hands made with blight and mildew and hail, and still you would not come back to me, says Yahweh.

Think carefully about the way things go from today forward, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of Yahweh's temple was laid. Think carefully about it.

Is there seed still in the barn? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have produced nothing yet. From today on, I am going to make you fruitful.

A message came from Yahweh to Haggai a second time that day, on the twenty-fourth of the month:

Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: I am going to shake the sky and the land.

I will turn over the thrones of kingdoms and break the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will turn over chariots and the men driving them, and the horses will go down and their riders with them, each man cut down by his brother's sword.

On that day, says Yahweh who commands armies, I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant, says Yahweh, and I will make you my signet ring, because you are the one I have chosen, says Yahweh who commands armies.