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The Decree of Cyrus
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to accomplish the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia and he sent a message to all of his kingdom and also put the message in writing:
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: Yahweh, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. And he himself has appointed me to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever among you who is from all of his people, may his God be with him and may he go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may he build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let every survivor, from wherever he resides[a] be assisted by the men of that place with silver and gold, with possessions and domestic animals, and with the freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.”
5 So the heads of the families[b] for Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—to all whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and build the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all of their neighbors helped them[c] with objects of silver, gold, possessions, domestic animals, and with valuable gifts—besides all of the freewill offering. 7 And Cyrus the king brought out the objects of the house of Yahweh that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus the king of Persia let them go out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 Now these were the inventories: thirty gold metal dishes, one thousand silver metal dishes, twenty-nine vessels, 10 thirty bowls of gold, four hundred and ten matching silver metal bowls, and one thousand other objects. 11 All of the objects of gold and silver metal were five thousand four hundred. All this Sheshbazzar brought up along with the exiles from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
The List of Returned Exiles
2 Now these were the people[d] of the province who came up from the captivity of the exile whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 the descendants[e] of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; 4 the descendants[f] of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; 5 the descendants[g] of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five; 6 the descendants[h] of Pahath-moab, particularly the descendants[i] of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; 7 the descendants[j] of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 8 the descendants[k] of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; 9 the descendants[l] of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; 10 the descendants[m] of Bani, six hundred and forty-two; 11 the descendants[n] of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; 12 the descendants[o] of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two; 13 the descendants[p] of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; 14 the descendants[q] of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six; 15 the descendants[r] of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; 16 the descendants[s] of Ater, particularly of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; 17 the descendants[t] of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; 18 the descendants[u] of Jorah, one hundred and twelve; 19 the descendants[v] of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three; 20 the descendants[w] of Gibbar, ninety-five; 21 the people[x] 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 people[y] of Azmaveth, forty-two; 25 the people[z] of Kiriath Αrim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; 26 the people[aa] of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; 27 the men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two; 28 the men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three; 29 the people[ab] of Nebo, fifty-two; 30 the people[ac] of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; 31 the people[ad] of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 32 the people[ae] of Harim, three hundred and twenty; 33 the people[af] of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; 34 the people[ag] of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; 35 the people[ah] of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.
36 The priests: the descendants[ai] of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; 37 the descendants[aj] of Immer, one thousand fifty-two; 38 the descendants[ak] of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; 39 the descendants[al] of Harim, one thousand seventeen.
40 The Levites: the descendants[am] of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants[an] of Hodaviah, seventy-four.
41 The singers: the descendants[ao] of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.
42 The descendants[ap] of the gatekeepers: the descendants[aq] of Shallum, the descendants[ar] of Ater, the descendants[as] of Talmon, the descendants[at] of Akkub, the descendants[au] of Hatita, and the descendants[av] of Shobai; in total one hundred and thirty-nine.
43 The temple servants: the descendants[aw] of Ziha, the descendants[ax] of Hasupha, the descendants[ay] of Tabbaoth, 44 the descendants[az] of Keros, the descendants[ba] of Siaha, the descendants[bb] of Padon, 45 the descendants[bc] of Lebanah, the descendants[bd] of Hagabah, the descendants[be] of Akkub, 46 the descendants[bf] of Hagab, the descendants[bg] of Shamlai, the descendants[bh] of Hanan, 47 the descendants[bi] of Giddel, the descendants[bj] of Gahar, the descendants[bk] of Reaiah, 48 the descendants[bl] of Rezin, the descendants[bm] of Nekoda, the descendants[bn] of Gazzam, 49 the descendants[bo] of Uzza, the descendants[bp] of Paseah, the descendants[bq] of Besai, 50 the descendants[br] of Asnah, the descendants[bs] of Meunim, the descendants[bt] of Nephisim, 51 the descendants[bu] of Bakbuk, the descendants[bv] of Hakupha, the descendants[bw] of Harhur, 52 the descendants[bx] of Bazluth, the descendants[by] of Mehida, the descendants[bz] of Harsha, 53 the descendants[ca] of Barkos, the descendants[cb] of Sisera, the descendants[cc] of Temah, 54 the descendants[cd] of Neziah, and the descendants[ce] of Hatipha.
55 The descendants[cf] of Solomon’s servants: the descendants[cg] of Sotai, the descendants[ch] of Hassophereth, the descendants[ci] of Peruda, 56 the descendants[cj] of Jaalah, the descendants[ck] of Darkon, the descendants[cl] of Giddel, 57 the descendants[cm] of Shephatiah, the descendants[cn] of Hattil, the descendants[co] of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants[cp] of Ami.
58 All the temple servants and the descendants[cq] of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
59 Now these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their fathers’ household and their descent, if they were from Israel: 60 the descendants[cr] of Delaiah, the descendants[cs] of Tobiah, and the descendants[ct] of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two. 61 And from the descendants[cu] of the priests: the descendants[cv] of Habaiah, the descendants[cw] of Hakkoz, and the descendants[cx] of Barzillai (who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). 62 These sought their record in the genealogy records, but they were not found, and were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.[cy] 63 The governor said to them that they could not eat from the holy food of the sanctuary[cz] until there was present a priest for the Urim and Thummim.
64 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 65 apart from their male and female servants, of whom were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred male and female singers. 66 Their horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules numbered two hundred and forty-five, 67 their camels numbered four hundred and thirty-five, their donkeys numbered six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
Gifts Given for Temple Work
68 When some of the heads of families[da] came to the house of Yahweh that is in Jerusalem, they gave freewill offerings for the house of God to erect it on its place. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury room for the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly tunics.
70 The priests, the Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem, and the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
Christ Crucified, the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, 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 the intelligence of the intelligent I will confound.”[a]
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. 22 For indeed, Jews ask for sign miracles and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cause for stumbling, but to the Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,[b] and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.[c]
Boast in the Lord
26 For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to human standards,[d] not many were powerful, not many were well born. 27 But the foolish things of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the strong, 28 and the insignificant of the world, and the despised, God chose, the things that are not, in order that he might abolish the things that are, 29 so that all flesh may not boast before God. 30 But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “The one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”[e]
Paul’s Approach to Ministry in Corinth
2 And I, when I[f] came to you, brothers, did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony[g] of God. 2 For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling, 4 and my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasiveness[h] of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, 5 in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
7 Hear, O Yahweh, my voice when I call,
and be gracious to me and answer me.
8 On your behalf my heart says, “Seek my face.”
Your face, O Yahweh, I do seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my help; do not abandon nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 If my father or my mother forsake me,
then Yahweh will receive me.
11 Teach me, O Yahweh, your way,
and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me over to the desire of my enemies,
because false witnesses have arisen against me,
and each breathing out violence.[a]
13 Surely[b] I believe that I will see the goodness of Yahweh
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for Yahweh.
Be strong and let your heart show strength,
and wait for Yahweh.
22 Do not say “I will repay evil”;
wait for Yahweh and he will deliver you.
23 An abomination of Yahweh is a stone and a weight,[a]
and scales of falsehood are not good.
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