Ezra 5-6
Temple Work Resumed
When the prophets, aHaggai the prophet and bZechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, 2 then aZerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and bthe prophets of God were with them supporting them.
3 At that time aTattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them thus, “bWho issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?” 4 aThen we told them accordingly what the names of the men were who were reconstructing this building. 5 But athe eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.
Adversaries Write to Darius
6 This is the copy of the letter which aTattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues bthe officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7 They sent a report to him in which it was written thus: “To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the names of the men who were at their head. 11 Thus they answered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, awhich a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But abecause our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, bHe gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. 13 However, ain the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus bissued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 14 Also athe gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one bwhose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15 He said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place.” 16 Then that Sheshbazzar came and alaid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is bnot yet completed.’ 17 “Now if it pleases the king, alet a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter.”
Darius Finds Cyrus’s Decree
Then King Darius issued a decree, and asearch was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. 2 In Ecbatana in the fortress, which is ain the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: “Memorandum— 3 aIn the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; 4 awith three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5 Also let athe gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in the house of God.’
6 “Now therefore, aTattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keep away from there. 7 Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, aI issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay. 9 Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to be given to them daily without fail, 10 that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and apray for the life of the king and his sons. 11 And I issued a decree that aany man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and bhis house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this. 12 May the God who ahas caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who attempts to change it, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!”
The Temple Completed and Dedicated
13 Then aTattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent. 14 And athe elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree bof Cyrus, cDarius, and dArtaxerxes king of Persia. 15 This temple was completed on the third day of the amonth Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16 And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, acelebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel a12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 Then they appointed the priests to atheir divisions and the Levites in btheir orders for the service of God in Jerusalem, cas it is written in the book of Moses.
The Passover Observed
19 aThe exiles observed the Passover on bthe fourteenth of the first month. 20 aFor the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then bthey slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 21 The sons of Israel who returned from exile and aall those who had separated themselves from bthe impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the Lord God of Israel, ate the Passover. 22 And athey observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had caused them to rejoice, and bhad turned the heart of cthe king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
3 John 1
You Walk in the Truth
aThe elder to the beloved bGaius, whom I clove in truth.
2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I awas very glad when bbrethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you aare walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of amy children bwalking in the truth.
5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the abrethren, and especially when they are bstrangers; 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to asend them on their way in a manner bworthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of athe Name, baccepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.
9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to abe first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 For this reason, aif I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not breceive the cbrethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and dputs them out of the church.
11 Beloved, ado not imitate what is evil, but what is good. bThe one who does good is of God; cthe one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius ahas received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and byou know that our testimony is true.
13 aI had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.
15 aPeace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends bby name.
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