“ Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Think carefully.

你们要追想此日以前，就是从这九月二十四日起，追想到立耶和华殿根基的日子。

你们心里要想一想，从今日起，就是从这九月二十四日起，从立耶和华殿根基的日子起，你们心里想一想：

你们心里要想一想，从今日起，就是从这九月二十四日起，从立耶和华殿根基的日子起，你们心里想一想：

九月二十四日是我的殿奠定根基的日子。你们要思想这个日子，要认真思想。

你们要反省，从今日起回想过往，就是自九月二十四日起，从耶和华殿的奠基日开始，你们要反省：

你們要追想此日以前，就是從這九月二十四日起，追想到立耶和華殿根基的日子。

你們心裏要想一想，從今日起，就是從這九月二十四日起，從立耶和華殿根基的日子起，你們心裏想一想：

你們心裏要想一想，從今日起，就是從這九月二十四日起，從立耶和華殿根基的日子起，你們心裏想一想：

九月二十四日是我的殿奠定根基的日子。你們要思想這個日子，要認真思想。

你們要反省，從今日起回想過往，就是自九月二十四日起，從耶和華殿的奠基日開始，你們要反省：

現在你們要用心想想：從今日起，從這九月二十四日起，從永恆主殿堂根基奠定這一日起，你們請用心想想：

請爾追思、此日以前、即自九月二十四日、立耶和華殿基時、爾其念之、

自九月二十四日、築我耶和華殿基、以後所有之事、即當思之、

爾曹當思念、此日以前、即九月二十四日、立主殿基之日以前、爾曹當思念情景若何、

‘ From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought:

It 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.

Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider:

From this day on, think carefully; from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid; think carefully.

‘ Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider:

‘ Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid— consider it:

Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Jehovah’s temple was laid, consider it.

“ Consider carefully from this day forward; from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid; consider it carefully.

Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth[ month, even] from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider[ it].

‘ Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the LORD was resumed, think about it.

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

“ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building.

Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the Lord’s Temple.

For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings.

At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them and helped them.

Oh, that they were wise and could understand this! Oh, that they might know their fate!

On December 18 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord sent this message to the prophet Haggai:

“ When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself,‘ At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!I will go home to my father and say,“ Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’“ So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign.