Ezra 5

New International Version

Tattenai’s Letter to Darius

5 Now Haggai^(A) the prophet and Zechariah^(B) the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied^(C) to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. ²Then Zerubbabel^(D) son of Shealtiel and Joshua^(E) son of Jozadak set to work^(F) to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

³At that time Tattenai,^(G) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai^(H) and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”^(I) ⁴They^[a] also asked, “What are the names of those who are constructing this building?” ⁵But the eye of their God^(J) was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

⁶This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. ⁷The report they sent him read as follows:

To King Darius:

Cordial greetings.

⁸The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work^(K) is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.

⁹We questioned the elders and asked them, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”^(L) ¹⁰We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

¹¹This is the answer they gave us:

“We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple^(M) that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. ¹²But because our ancestors angered^(N) the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.^(O)

¹³“However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree^(P) to rebuild this house of God. ¹⁴He even removed from the temple^[b] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple^[c] in Babylon.^(Q) Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar,^(R) whom he had appointed governor, ¹⁵and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.’

¹⁶“So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God^(S) in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.”

¹⁷Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives^(T) of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

Footnotes

Ezra 5:4 See Septuagint; Aramaic We.
Ezra 5:14 Or palace
Ezra 5:14 Or palace

Hebrews 1

New International Version

God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke^(A) to our ancestors through the prophets^(B) at many times and in various ways,^(C) ²but in these last days^(D) he has spoken to us by his Son,^(E) whom he appointed heir^(F) of all things, and through whom^(G) also he made the universe.^(H) ³The Son is the radiance of God’s glory^(I) and the exact representation of his being,^(J) sustaining all things^(K) by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,^(L) he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.^(M) ⁴So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.^(N)

The Son Superior to Angels

⁵For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”^[a]?^(O)

Or again,

“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”^[b]?^(P)

⁶And again, when God brings his firstborn^(Q) into the world,^(R) he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”^[c]^(S)

⁷In speaking of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”^[d]^(T)

⁸But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;^(U)
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
⁹You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions^(V)
    by anointing you with the oil^(W) of joy.”^[e]^(X)

¹⁰He also says,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.^(Y)
¹¹They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.^(Z)
¹²You will roll them up like a robe;
    like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,^(AA)
    and your years will never end.”^[f]^(AB)