Ezra 4

New International Version

Opposition to the Rebuilding

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building^(A) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ²they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon^(B) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”^(C)

³But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”^(D)

⁴Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.^[a]^(E) ⁵They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

⁶At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,^[b]^(F) they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.^(G)

⁷And in the days of Artaxerxes^(H) king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic^(I) language.^[c]^[d]

⁸Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

⁹Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates^(J)—the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk^(K) and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,^(L) ¹⁰and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal^(M) deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.^(N)

¹¹(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

¹²The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.^(O)

¹³Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty^(P) will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.^[e] ¹⁴Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, ¹⁵so that a search may be made in the archives^(Q) of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.^(R) ¹⁶We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

¹⁷The king sent this reply:

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:^(S)

Greetings.

¹⁸The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. ¹⁹I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt^(T) against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. ²⁰Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates,^(U) and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. ²¹Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. ²²Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?^(V)

²³As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates,^(W) they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

²⁴Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius^(X) king of Persia.

Footnotes

Ezra 4:4 Or and troubled them as they built
Ezra 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus
Ezra 4:7 Or written in Aramaic and translated
Ezra 4:7 The text of 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic.
Ezra 4:13 The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain.

2 Timothy 2-3

New International Version

The Appeal Renewed

2 You then, my son,^(A) be strong^(B) in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things you have heard me say^(C) in the presence of many witnesses^(D) entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³Join with me in suffering,^(E) like a good soldier^(F) of Christ Jesus. ⁴No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown^(G) except by competing according to the rules. ⁶The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.^(H) ⁷Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,^(I) descended from David.^(J) This is my gospel,^(K) ⁹for which I am suffering^(L) even to the point of being chained^(M) like a criminal. But God’s word^(N) is not chained. ¹⁰Therefore I endure everything^(O) for the sake of the elect,^(P) that they too may obtain the salvation^(Q) that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^(R)

¹¹Here is a trustworthy saying:^(S)

If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;^(T)
¹²if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.^(U)
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;^(V)
¹³if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,^(W)
    for he cannot disown himself.

Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;^(X) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.^(Y) ¹⁶Avoid godless chatter,^(Z) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^(AA) and Philetus, ¹⁸who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,^(AB) and they destroy the faith of some.^(AC) ¹⁹Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,^(AD) sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”^(AE) and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord^(AF) must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.^(AG) ²¹Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.^(AH)

²²Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love^(AI) and peace, along with those who call on the Lord^(AJ) out of a pure heart.^(AK) ²³Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.^(AL) ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.^(AM) ²⁵Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,^(AN) ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,^(AO) who has taken them captive to do his will.

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.^(AP) ²People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,^(AQ) boastful, proud,^(AR) abusive,^(AS) disobedient to their parents,^(AT) ungrateful, unholy, ³without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴treacherous,^(AU) rash, conceited,^(AV) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵having a form of godliness^(AW) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.^(AX)

⁶They are the kind who worm their way^(AY) into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^(AZ) ⁸Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,^(BA) so also these teachers oppose^(BB) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,^(BC) who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,^(BD) their folly will be clear to everyone.

A Final Charge to Timothy

¹⁰You, however, know all about my teaching,^(BE) my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,^(BF) Iconium^(BG) and Lystra,^(BH) the persecutions I endured.^(BI) Yet the Lord rescued^(BJ) me from all of them.^(BK) ¹²In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,^(BL) ¹³while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,^(BM) deceiving and being deceived.^(BN) ¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,^(BO) ¹⁵and how from infancy^(BP) you have known the Holy Scriptures,^(BQ) which are able to make you wise^(BR) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed^(BS) and is useful for teaching,^(BT) rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,^(BU) ¹⁷so that the servant of God^[a]^(BV) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^(BW)