Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

7 After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes^(A) king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah,^(B) the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,^{(C) 2} the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,^(D) the son of Ahitub,^{(E) 3} the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ⁴ the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ⁵ the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas,^(F) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— ⁶ this Ezra^(G) came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted^(H) him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.^{(I) 7} Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.^(J)

⁸ Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. ⁹ He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.^{(K) 10} For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching^(L) its decrees and laws in Israel.

King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

¹¹ This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:

²⁷ Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart^(AD) to bring honor^(AE) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way ²⁸ and who has extended his good favor^(AF) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,^(AG) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,^(A) so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.^{(B) 2} Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.^(C) Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare^[a] of their slaves.

False Teachers and the Love of Money

These are the things you are to teach and insist on.^{(D) 3} If anyone teaches otherwise^(E) and does not agree to the sound instruction^(F) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited^(G) and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words^(H) that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(I) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

⁶ But godliness with contentment^(J) is great gain.^{(K) 7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.^{(L) 8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.^{(M) 9} Those who want to get rich^(N) fall into temptation and a trap^(O) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money^(P) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith^(Q) and pierced themselves with many griefs.^(R)

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God,^(S) flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,^(T) faith, love,^(U) endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight^(V) of the faith. Take hold of^(W) the eternal life^(X) to which you were called when you made your good confession^(Y) in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate^(Z) made the good confession,^(AA) I charge you^{(AB) 14} to keep this command without spot or blame^(AC) until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(AD) 15} which God will bring about in his own time^(AE)—God, the blessed^(AF) and only Ruler,^(AG) the King of kings and Lord of lords,^{(AH) 16} who alone is immortal^(AI) and who lives in unapproachable light,^(AJ) whom no one has seen or can see.^(AK) To him be honor and might forever. Amen.^(AL)

¹⁷ Command those who are rich^(AM) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,^(AN) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,^(AO) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.^{(AP) 18} Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,^(AQ) and to be generous and willing to share.^{(AR) 19} In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves^(AS) as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of^(AT) the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted^(AU) to your care. Turn away from godless chatter^(AV) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.^(AW)

Grace be with you all.^(AX)

The Return to Jerusalem

¹⁵ I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava,^(A) and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites^(B) there. ¹⁶ So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, ¹⁷ and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants^(C) in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. ¹⁸ Because the gracious hand of our God was on us,^(D) they brought us Sherebiah,^(E) a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; ¹⁹ and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. ²⁰ They also brought 220 of the temple servants^(F)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

²¹ There, by the Ahava Canal,^(G) I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey^(H) for us and our children, with all our possessions. ²² I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers^(I) and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone^(J) who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.^(K)” ²³ So we fasted^(L) and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

²⁴ Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah,^(M) Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, ²⁵ and I weighed out^(N) to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. ²⁶ I weighed out to them 650 talents^[a] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,^[b] 100 talents^[c] of gold, ²⁷ 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,^[d] and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.

²⁸ I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord.^(O) The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. ²⁹ Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” ³⁰ Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

³¹ On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal^(P) to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us,^(Q) and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. ³² So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.^(R)

³³ On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out^(S) the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth^(T) son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad^(U) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.^{(V) 34} Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

³⁵ Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls^(W) for all Israel,^(X) ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,^[e] twelve male goats.^(Y) All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. ³⁶ They also delivered the king’s orders^(Z) to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,^(AA) who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.^(AB)

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow^(A) of the good things^(B) that are coming—not the realities themselves.^(C) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect^(D) those who draw near to worship.^{(E) 2} Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.^{(F) 3} But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.^{(G) 4} It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats^(H) to take away sins.^(I)

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(J) he said:

⁸ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”^(N)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”^(O) He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy^(P) through the sacrifice of the body^(Q) of Jesus Christ once for all.^(R)

¹¹ Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,^(S) which can never take away sins.^{(T) 12} But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,^(U) he sat down at the right hand of God,^{(V) 13} and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.^{(W) 14} For by one sacrifice he has made perfect^(X) forever those who are being made holy.^(Y)

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also testifies^(Z) to us about this. First he says:

¹⁷ Then he adds:

¹⁸ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.