Ezra 1

New International Version

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return^(A)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,^(B) the Lord moved the heart^(C) of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

²“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed^(D) me to build^(E) a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. ³Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. ⁴And in any locality where survivors^(F) may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold,^(G) with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings^(H) for the temple of God^(I) in Jerusalem.’”^(J)

⁵Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin,^(K) and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved^(L)—prepared to go up and build the house^(M) of the Lord in Jerusalem. ⁶All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold,^(N) with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.

⁷Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.^[a]^(O) ⁸Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar^(P) the prince of Judah.

⁹This was the inventory:

gold dishes	30
silver dishes	1,000
silver pans^[b]	29
¹⁰gold bowls	30
matching silver bowls	410
other articles	1,000

¹¹In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Notas al pie

Ezra 1:7 Or gods
Ezra 1:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

1 Peter 2

New International Version

2 Therefore, rid yourselves^(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander^(B) of every kind. ²Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,^(C) so that by it you may grow up^(D) in your salvation, ³now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.^(E)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

⁴As you come to him, the living Stone^(F)—rejected by humans but chosen by God^(G) and precious to him— ⁵you also, like living stones, are being built^(H) into a spiritual house^[a]^(I) to be a holy priesthood,^(J) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^(K) ⁶For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,^(L)
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”^[b]^(M)

⁷Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,^(N)

“The stone the builders rejected^(O)
has become the cornerstone,”^[c]^(P)

⁸and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”^[d]^(Q)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(R)

⁹But you are a chosen people,^(S) a royal priesthood,^(T) a holy nation,^(U) God’s special possession,^(V) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(W) ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(X) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

¹¹Dear friends,^(Y) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(Z) to abstain from sinful desires,^(AA) which wage war against your soul.^(AB) ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^(AC) and glorify God^(AD) on the day he visits us.

¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:^(AE) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong^(AF) and to commend those who do right.^(AG) ¹⁵For it is God’s will^(AH) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.^(AI) ¹⁶Live as free people,^(AJ) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^(AK) live as God’s slaves.^(AL) ¹⁷Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,^(AM) fear God, honor the emperor.^(AN)

¹⁸Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,^(AO) not only to those who are good and considerate,^(AP) but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.^(AQ) ²⁰But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.^(AR) ²¹To this^(AS) you were called,^(AT) because Christ suffered for you,^(AU) leaving you an example,^(AV) that you should follow in his steps.

²²“He committed no sin,^(AW)
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”^[e]^(AX)

²³When they hurled their insults at him,^(AY) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.^(AZ) Instead, he entrusted himself^(BA) to him who judges justly.^(BB) ²⁴“He himself bore our sins”^(BC) in his body on the cross,^(BD) so that we might die to sins^(BE) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”^(BF) ²⁵For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[f]^(BG) but now you have returned to the Shepherd^(BH) and Overseer of your souls.^(BI)

Notas al pie

1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)

Psalm 43

New International Version

Psalm 43^[a]

¹Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause^(A)
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me^(B) from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.^(C)
²You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected^(D) me?
Why must I go about mourning,^(E)
    oppressed by the enemy?^(F)
³Send me your light^(G) and your faithful care,^(H)
    let them lead me;^(I)
let them bring me to your holy mountain,^(J)
    to the place where you dwell.^(K)
⁴Then I will go^(L) to the altar^(M) of God,
    to God, my joy^(N) and my delight.^(O)
I will praise you with the lyre,^(P)
    O God, my God.