²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all ^(A)the peoples, nations, and languages ^(B)that dwell in all the earth: ^(C)“Peace be multiplied to you.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4 ^[a] King Nebuchadnezzar to all ^(A)peoples, nations, and languages, ^(B)that dwell in all the earth: ^(C)Peace be multiplied to you!

The Proclamation of Cyrus

1 ^(A)In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, ^(B)that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so ^(C)that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

² “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and ^(D)he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

² according to ^(A)the foreknowledge of God the Father, ^(B)in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and ^(C)for sprinkling with his blood:

May ^(D)grace and ^(E)peace be multiplied to you.

^9 (A)The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to ^(B)the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces ^(C)from India to Ethiopia, ^(D)127 provinces, ^(E)to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.

^12 (A)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's ^(B)satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, ^(C)to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written ^(D)in the name of King Ahasuerus ^(E)and sealed with the king's signet ring.

The King Orders the Work to Cease

¹⁷ The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now

² May ^(A)mercy, ^(B)peace, and love be multiplied to you.

^2 (A)May grace and peace be multiplied to you ^(B)in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.