Haggai 2 – NIRV & ASCB

New International Reader’s Version

Haggai 2:1-23

1a second message came from the Lord. It came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 21st day of the seventh month. The Lord said, 2“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and the son of Shealtiel. Also speak to Joshua the high priest, the son of Jozadak. And speak to all my people who are still left alive. Ask them, 3‘Did any of you who are here see how beautiful this temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It doesn’t look so good, does it? 4But be strong, Zerubbabel,’ announces the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua. Be strong, all of you people in the land,’ announces the Lord. ‘Start rebuilding. I am with you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all. 5‘That is what I promised you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit continues to be with you. So do not be afraid.’ ”

6The Lord says, “In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth once more. I will also shake the ocean and the dry land. 7I will shake all the nations. Then what is desired by all nations will come to my temple. And I will fill the temple with glory,” says the Lord who rules over all. 8“The silver belongs to me. So does the gold,” announces the Lord who rules over all. 9“The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was,” says the Lord. “And in this place I will bring peace,” announces the Lord who rules over all.

The Lord Will Make His People Pure and “Clean”

10A third message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was king. 11The Lord who rules over all speaks. He says, “Ask the priests what the law says. 12Suppose someone carries holy meat in the clothes they are wearing. And the clothes touch some bread or stew. Or they touch some wine, olive oil or other food. Then do these things also become holy?”

The priests answered, “No.”

13So Haggai said, “Suppose someone is made ‘unclean’ by touching a dead body. And then they touch one of these things. Does it become ‘unclean’ too?”

“Yes,” the priests replied. “It does.”

14Then here is what Haggai said. “The Lord announces, ‘That is how I look at these people and this nation. Anything they do and anything they sacrifice on the altar is “unclean.”

15“ ‘Think carefully about this from now on. Think about how things were before the Lord’s temple was built. This was before one stone was laid on top of another. 16People went to get 20 measures of grain. But they could find only 10. They went to where the wine was stored to get 50 measures. But only 20 were there. 17You worked very hard to produce all those things. But I struck them with rot, mold and hail. And you still did not return to me,’ announces the Lord. 18It is the 24th day of the ninth month. From this day on, here is what you should think carefully about. Think about the day when the foundation of my temple was laid. 19Are any seeds still left in your barns? Until now, your vines and fig trees have not produced any fruit. Your pomegranate and olive trees have not produced any either.

“ ‘But from this day on I will bless you.’ ”

The Lord Compares Zerubbabel to His Royal Ring

20A final message from the Lord came to Haggai. This message also came on the 24th day of the ninth month. The Lord said, 21“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. Tell him I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22I will throw down royal thrones. I will smash the power of other kingdoms. I will destroy chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders will fall. They will be killed by the swords of their relatives.

23“ ‘Zerubbabel, at that time I will pick you,’ announces the Lord. ‘You are my servant,’ announces the Lord. ‘You will be like a ring that has my royal mark on it. I have chosen you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all.”

Asante Twi Contemporary Bible

Hagai 2:1-23

Asɔredan No Animuonyam

1Ɛda a ɛtɔ so aduonu baako wɔ bosome a ɛtɔ so nson no, Awurade de asɛm faa Odiyifoɔ Hagai so sɛ: 2“Ka yei kyerɛ Sealtiel babarima Serubabel a ɔyɛ Yuda amrado ne Ɔsɔfopanin Yehosadak babarima Yosua ne Onyankopɔn nkurɔfoɔ nkaeɛ a wɔwɔ asase no so hɔ no. Bisa wɔn sɛ, 3‘Mo a mo aka yi mu hwan na ɔhunuu saa fie yi animuonyam sɛdeɛ na ɛteɛ kane no? Ɛte mo sɛn ɛnnɛ? Ɛnyɛ mo sɛ ɛnsɛ hwee seesei anaa? 4Enti, Serubabel, nya akokoɔduru seesei.’ Saa na Awurade seɛ, ‘Ɔsɔfopanin Yehosadak babarima Yosua, nya akokoɔduru. Mo nnipa a mowɔ asase no so seesei no, monnya akokoɔduru. Awurade na ɔseɛ. Monnya akokoɔduru na monnyɛ adwuma, ɛfiri sɛ, meka mo ho.’ Saa na Asafo Awurade ka. 5‘Yei ne apam a me ne mo yɛeɛ ɛberɛ a mofirii Misraim. Me Honhom ka mo ho. Ɛno enti monnsuro.’

6“Yei ne asɛm a Asafo Awurade seɛ. ‘Ɛrenkyɛre biara, mɛwoso ɔsoro ne asase bio. Mɛwoso ɛpo hahanaa ne asase kesee nso. 7Mɛwoso aman nyinaa, na aman nyinaa anidasoɔ bɛba, na mede animuonyam bɛhyɛ saa fie ha ma.’ Saa na Asafo Awurade seɛ. 8‘Dwetɛ no yɛ me dea. Na sikakɔkɔɔ yɛ me dea.’ Sei na Asafo Awurade seɛ. 9‘Saa fie yi animuonyam bɛkorɔn asene nʼanimuonyam a atwam no.’ Saa na Asafo Awurade ka. ‘Na mɛma asomdwoeɛ aba ha.’ Me, Asafo Awurade na makasa.”

Ɔsetie Mu Nhyira Ho Bɔhyɛ

10Ɔhene Dario adedie mfeɛ mmienu mu, ɔbosome a ɛtɔ so nkron no da a ɛtɔ so aduonu ɛnan, Awurade kaa saa asɛm yi kyerɛɛ Odiyifoɔ Hagai. 11“Asɛm a Asafo Awurade ka nie: ‘Mommisa asɔfoɔ no deɛ mmara no ka. 12Sɛ ɛnam kronkron bi hyɛ obi atadeɛ mmuano mu, na sɛ ɛho kɔ ka burodo anaa abɔmu, nsã anaa ngo anaa aduane foforɔ bi a, ɛno nso bɛyɛ kronkron anaa?’ ”

Asɔfoɔ no buaa sɛ: “Dabi.”

13Na Hagai bisaa sɛ, “Na sɛ obi nso de ne ho ka efunu de gu ne ho fi, na ɔde ne ho twitwiri nneɛma a wɔabobɔ din yi bi ho a, na wɔagu ho fi anaa?”

Na asɔfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Aane.”

14Afei, Hagai kaa sɛ, “ ‘Saa ara na nnipa no ne saa ɔman yi teɛ.’ Saa na Awurade seɛ. ‘Biribiara a wɔyɛ ne biribiara a wɔde ba no ho agu fi.

15“ ‘Enti, ɛfiri ɛnnɛ, monnwene saa adeɛ yi ho yie. Monkae sɛdeɛ na nneɛma teɛ, ansa na moreto Awurade asɔredan no fapem no. 16Ɛberɛ a modwene sɛ mobɛnya mfudeɛ susukora aduonu no, monyaa edu pɛ. Ɛberɛ a mode mo ani buu sɛ mobɛnya gyare aduonum afiri nsakyibea no, monyaa aduonu pɛ. 17Memaa yadeɛ a ɛsɛe mfudeɛ, ɛbɔ ne ampariboɔ bɛsɛee mo nsa ano nnwuma nyinaa. Nanso, moampɛ sɛ mobɛsane aba me nkyɛn. Saa na Awurade seɛ. 18Ɛfiri ɔbosome a ɛtɔ so nkron, da a ɛtɔ so aduonu ɛnan yi, monnwene da a wɔtoo Awurade asɔredan fapem no ho yie. 19Aba bi aka asan no so anaa? Ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ, bobe, borɔdɔma, ateaa ne ngo dua aso wɔn aba anaa?

“ ‘Ɛfiri saa da yi rekorɔ no, mɛhyira mo.’ ”

Ɛbɔ A Wɔahyɛ Serubabel

20Awurade asɛm baa Hagai nkyɛn ne mprenu so wɔ ɔbosome no da a ɛtɔ aduonu ɛnan: 21“Ka kyerɛ Serubabel a ɔyɛ Yuda amrado no sɛ, merebɛwoso ɔsoro ne asase. 22Mɛbutu ahennwa, na masɛe ananafoɔ ahemman no tumi. Mɛdane wɔn nteaseɛnam ne wɔn a wɔka no abutu. Apɔnkɔ akafoɔ no bɛhwehwe ase na wɔakunkum wɔn ho.

23“ ‘Ɛda no’ Asafo Awurade ka sɛ, ‘Mɛfa wo, Sealtiel babarima, me ɔsomfoɔ Serubabel, mɛfa wo sɛ nsɔano kawa, ɛfiri sɛ mayi wo.’ Me Asafo Awurade, na makasa.”