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Ezra 6:18-22
Good News Translation
Ezra 6:18-22
Good News Translation
18 They also organized the priests and the Levites for the Temple services in Jerusalem, according to the instructions contained in the book of Moses.
The Passover
19 (A)The people who had returned from exile celebrated Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month of the following year. 20 All the priests and the Levites had purified themselves and were ritually clean. The Levites killed the animals for the Passover sacrifices for all the people who had returned, for the priests, and for themselves. 21 The sacrifices were eaten by all the Israelites who had returned from exile and by all those who had given up the pagan ways of the other people who were living in the land and who had come to worship the Lord God of Israel. 22 For seven days they joyfully celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread. They were full of joy because the Lord had made the emperor of Assyria[a] favorable to them, so that he supported them in their work of rebuilding the Temple of the God of Israel.
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- Ezra 6:22 Apparently a reference to the Persian emperor who then also ruled the territory once occupied by Assyria, Israel's ancient enemy.
Ezra 6:18-22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Ezra 6:18-22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
18 Then they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.(A)
The Passover Celebrated
19 On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles kept the Passover.(B) 20 For both the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.(C) 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and also by all who had joined them and separated themselves from the pollutions of the nations of the land to seek the Lord, the God of Israel.(D) 22 With joy they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.(E)
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Ezra 6:18-22
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
Ezra 6:18-22
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses over the works of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
19 And the children of Israel of the captivity kept the phase, on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For all the priests and the Levites were purified as one man: all were clear to kill the phase for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and themselves.
21 And the children of Israel that were returned from captivity, and all that had separated themselves from the filthiness of the nations of the earth to them, to seek the Lord the God of Israel, did eat.
22 And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, that he should help their hands in the work of the house of the Lord the God of Israel.
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Ezra 6:18-22
The Message
Ezra 6:18-22
The Message
16-18 And then the Israelites celebrated—priests, Levites, every last exile, exuberantly celebrated the dedication of The Temple of God. At the dedication of this Temple of God they sacrificed a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs—and, as an Absolution-Offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. They placed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their places for the service of God at Jerusalem—all as written out in the Book of Moses.
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19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.
20 All the priests and Levites had purified themselves—all, no exceptions. They were all ritually clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for the exiles, their brother priests, and themselves.
21-22 Then the Israelites who had returned from exile, along with everyone who had removed themselves from the defilements of the nations to join them and seek God, the God of Israel, ate the Passover. With great joy they celebrated the Feast of Unraised Bread for seven days. God had plunged them into a sea of joy; he had changed the mind of the king of Assyria to back them in rebuilding The Temple of God, the God of Israel.
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Ezra 6:18-22
New International Version
Ezra 6:18-22
New International Version
18 And they installed the priests in their divisions(A) and the Levites in their groups(B) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.(C)
The Passover
19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.(D) 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered(E) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. 21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves(F) from the unclean practices(G) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,(H) the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,(I) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude(J) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.