⁴ And in any locality where survivors^(A) may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold,^(B) with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings^(C) for the temple of God^(D) in Jerusalem.’”^(E)

¹² Artaxerxes, king of kings,^(A)

To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.

¹³ Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. ¹⁴ You are sent by the king and his seven advisers^(B) to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. ¹⁵ Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given^(C) to the God of Israel, whose dwelling^(D) is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶ together with all the silver and gold^(E) you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.^{(F) 17} With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs,^(G) together with their grain offerings and drink offerings,^(H) and sacrifice^(I) them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.

¹⁸ You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. ¹⁹ Deliver^(J) to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. ²⁰ And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.^(K)