The First Post-Captivity Passover^(A)

^19 [a]The former exiles^[b] observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month ²⁰ because the priests and descendants of Levi had purified themselves together—all of them were pure—and they killed the Passover lamb^[c] for every former exile,^[d] for their relatives the priests, and for themselves.

²¹ So the Israelis who had returned from captivity ate the Passover with all who had consecrated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel. ²² Then they observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, because the Lord had made them glad, turning the heart of the king of Assyria toward them and strengthening them for their work on the Temple of God, the God of Israel.