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The Proclamation of Cyrus(A)
1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he issued a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:
“The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Whoever remains in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver, gold, goods, and animals, along with voluntary gifts for the house of God in Jerusalem.”
5 Then the heads of the households of Judah and Benjamin, and the Levitical priests, with all those whose spirits God had stirred, rose up to go up to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 6 So everyone all around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, gold, goods, animals, and precious things, besides all that was given voluntarily. 7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had put in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia even brought forth more for them, by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer and had them numbered for Sheshbazzar, who was the prince of Judah.
9 This is the number of them: thirty containers of gold, one thousand containers of silver, and twenty-nine knives. 10 There were also thirty smaller bowls of gold, four hundred and ten smaller bowls of silver (of lesser value), and one thousand other various containers.
11 All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The List of Returning Exiles(B)
2 Now these are the people of the province who went up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and came again to Jerusalem and Judah. Each returned to his own city. 2 Those who came with Zerubbabel were Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of men of the people of Israel were:
3 The sons of Parosh—two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;
4 the sons of Shephatiah—three hundred and seventy-two;
5 the sons of Arah—seven hundred and seventy-five;
6 the sons of Pahath-Moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab—two thousand eight hundred and twelve;
7 the sons of Elam—one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
8 the sons of Zattu—nine hundred and forty-five;
9 the sons of Zakkai—seven hundred and sixty;
10 the sons of Bani—six hundred and forty-two;
11 the sons of Bebai—six hundred and twenty-three;
12 the sons of Azgad—one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;
13 the sons of Adonikam—six hundred and sixty-six;
14 the sons of Bigvai—two thousand and fifty-six;
15 the sons of Adin—four hundred and fifty-four;
16 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah—ninety-eight;
17 the sons of Bezai—three hundred and twenty-three;
18 the sons of Jorah—one hundred and twelve;
19 the sons of Hashum—two hundred and twenty-three;
20 the sons of Gibbar—ninety-five.
21 The sons of Bethlehem—one hundred and twenty-three;
22 the men of Netophah—fifty-six;
23 the men of Anathoth—one hundred and twenty-eight;
24 the sons of Azmaveth—forty-two;
25 the sons of Kiriath Arim, Kephirah, and Beeroth—seven hundred and forty-three;
26 the sons of Ramah and Geba—six hundred and twenty-one;
27 the men of Mikmash—one hundred and twenty-two;
28 the men of Bethel and Ai—two hundred and twenty-three;
29 the sons of Nebo—fifty-two;
30 the sons of Magbish—one hundred and fifty-six;
31 the sons of the other Elam—one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
32 the sons of Harim—three hundred and twenty;
33 the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono—seven hundred and twenty-five;
34 the sons of Jericho—three hundred and forty-five;
35 the sons of Senaah—three thousand six hundred and thirty.
36 Those who came with the priests were:
the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua—nine hundred and seventy-three;
37 the sons of Immer—one thousand and fifty-two;
38 the sons of Pashhur—one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;
39 the sons of Harim—one thousand and seventeen.
40 Those who came with the Levites were:
the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah—seventy-four.
41 Those who came with the singers were:
the sons of Asaph—one hundred and twenty-eight.
42 The sons of the gatekeepers were:
the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai—in all one hundred and thirty-nine.
43 Those devoted to the temple as servants were:
the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon,
45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub,
46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan,
47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,
48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam,
49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai,
50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephusim,
51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,
54 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
55 The sons of Solomon’s servants were:
the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda,
56 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, the sons of Ami.
58 All those devoted to the temple as servants and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
59 These were the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not prove their father’s house or their descent, whether they were of Israel:
60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda—six hundred and fifty-two;
61 and of the sons of the priests:
the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (whose ancestor married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was thereafter called by their name).
62 These sought their records in the genealogy register, but they were not found. Therefore, they were disqualified (as polluted) from the priesthood. 63 The governor advised them not to eat of the most holy things until a priest consulted with the Urim and Thummim.
64 The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 65 besides their male and female servants (these numbered seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven); they also had two hundred singing men and women. 66 Their horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five; 67 their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; and their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
68 As some of the heads of households came to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, they volunteered to erect the foundations for the house of God. 69 They gave after their ability to the treasure of the work sixty-one thousand drachmas[a] of gold, five thousand pounds[b] of silver, and one hundred priestly garments.
70 So the priests and the Levites, along with some of the people, the singers, the porters, and those donated as temple servants, lived in their cities, with the result that all Israel resettled in their cities.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For to those who are perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”[a]
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of this world foolish? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. 23 But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. 24 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, we preach Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men were called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. 28 And God has chosen the base things of the world and things which are despised. Yes, and He chose things which did not exist to bring to nothing things that do, 29 so that no flesh should boast in His presence. 30 But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, whom God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”[b]
Proclaiming Christ Crucified
2 Brothers, when I came to you, I did not come with superiority of speech or wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Be gracious to me and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face far from me;
do not thrust Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help.
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 If my father and my mother forsake me,
then the Lord will take me in.
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
and lead me in an upright path,
because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my enemies;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord;
be strong, and may your heart be stout;
wait on the Lord.
22 Do not say, “I will recompense evil”;
but wait on the Lord, and He will save you.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and a false balance is not good.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.