Ezra 4

New International Version

Opposition to the Rebuilding

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building^(A) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ²they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon^(B) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”^(C)

³But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”^(D)

⁴Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.^[a]^(E) ⁵They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

⁶At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,^[b]^(F) they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.^(G)

⁷And in the days of Artaxerxes^(H) king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic^(I) language.^[c]^[d]

⁸Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

⁹Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates^(J)—the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk^(K) and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,^(L) ¹⁰and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal^(M) deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.^(N)

¹¹(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

¹²The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.^(O)

¹³Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty^(P) will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.^[e] ¹⁴Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, ¹⁵so that a search may be made in the archives^(Q) of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.^(R) ¹⁶We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

¹⁷The king sent this reply:

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:^(S)

Greetings.

¹⁸The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. ¹⁹I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt^(T) against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. ²⁰Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates,^(U) and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. ²¹Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. ²²Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?^(V)

²³As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates,^(W) they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

²⁴Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius^(X) king of Persia.

Notas al pie

Ezra 4:4 Or and troubled them as they built
Ezra 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus
Ezra 4:7 Or written in Aramaic and translated
Ezra 4:7 The text of 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic.
Ezra 4:13 The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain.

Proverbs 27:7-13

New International Version

⁷One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

⁸Like a bird that flees its nest^(A)
is anyone who flees from home.

⁹Perfume^(B) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.

¹⁰Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster^(C) strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

¹¹Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;^(D)
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.^(E)

¹²The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(F)

¹³Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.^(G)

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Hebrews 2

New International Version

Warning to Pay Attention

2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.^(A) ²For since the message spoken^(B) through angels^(C) was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,^(D) ³how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?^(E) This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,^(F) was confirmed to us by those who heard him.^(G) ⁴God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles,^(H) and by gifts of the Holy Spirit^(I) distributed according to his will.^(J)

Jesus Made Fully Human

⁵It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶But there is a place where someone^(K) has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    a son of man that you care for him?^(L)
⁷You made them a little^[a] lower than the angels;
    you crowned them with glory and honor
⁸    and put everything under their feet.”^[b]^[c]^(M)

In putting everything under them,^[d] God left nothing that is not subject to them.^[e] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.^[f] ⁹But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor^(N) because he suffered death,^(O) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.^(P)

¹⁰In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,^(Q) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.^(R) ¹¹Both the one who makes people holy^(S) and those who are made holy^(T) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^[g]^(U) ¹²He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”^[h]^(V)

¹³And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”^[i]^(W)

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”^[j]^(X)

¹⁴Since the children have flesh and blood,^(Y) he too shared in their humanity^(Z) so that by his death he might break the power^(AA) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil^(AB)— ¹⁵and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear^(AC) of death. ¹⁶For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.^(AD) ¹⁷For this reason he had to be made like them,^[k]^(AE) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful^(AF) and faithful high priest^(AG) in service to God,^(AH) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.^(AI) ¹⁸Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.^(AJ)

Notas al pie

Hebrews 2:7 Or them for a little while
Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:4-6
Hebrews 2:8 Or ⁷You made him a little lower than the angels;/ you crowned him with glory and honor/ ⁸and put everything under his feet.”
Hebrews 2:8 Or him
Hebrews 2:8 Or him
Hebrews 2:8 Or him
Hebrews 2:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 12; and in 3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22.
Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:22
Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:17
Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:18
Hebrews 2:17 Or like his brothers