1. On the first day of the sixth month of the second year that Darius was king of Persia, Haggai received a message from the Lord. This message was for Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak. Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah and Joshua was the high priest. This is the message:
2. This is what the Lord All-Powerful said, “The people say it is not yet the right time to build the Lord’S Temple.”
3. Again Haggai received a message from the Lord. Haggai spoke this message:
4. “You people think the right time has come for you to live in nice houses. You live in houses with beautiful wooden paneling on the walls, but the Lord’s house is still in ruins.