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Ezra’s Arrival and Work
7 After these things during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 , son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which Yahweh the God of Israel gave. The king granted him all his requests, for the hand of Yahweh was upon him.
7 Some of the Israelites,[a] some priests and Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8 He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began the journey from Babylonia; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, to do it, and to teach the regulations and judgments in Israel.
Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra
11 This is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the scroll of the words of the commands of Yahweh and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now 13 I issue forth a decree that any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14 For you are sent from the king and his seven counselors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem concerning the law of your God, which is in your hand. 15 Also, bring the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 and all of the silver and gold that you will find in the whole province of Babylonia, with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests giving willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17 With this money, then, with diligence you must buy young bulls, young rams, lambs, and their offerings and libations. You must offer them on the altar that is in the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18 You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers to do with the remainder of the silver and gold according to the desire of your God. 19 And the vessels that were given to you for the service of the house of your God you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And the remainder of the needs for the house of your God that falls to you to provide, you may provide from the house of the king’s treasury.”
21 “I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue forth a decree to all the treasurers who are in the province Beyond the River. Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, let it be done with diligence, 22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and unlimited salt.[b] 23 All that is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, otherwise wrath will come on the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24 You also should be aware that it is not permitted to place tax, tribute, or duty upon all of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, and other servants of the house of God.
25 “You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who can judge all of the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God. And you will teach those who do not know. 26 All who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods and for imprisonment.”
27 Blessed be Yahweh the God of our ancestors,[c] who put this in the heart of the king to glorify the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem 28 and who extended to me loyal love before the king and his counselors, and before all of the mighty officials of the king. I took courage, for the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
Family Heads Who Returned With Ezra
8 These were the heads of their families[d] and the register of those returnees from Babylonia who came up with me in the reign of King Artaxerxes: 2 From the descendants[e] of Phinehas: Gershom. From the descendants[f] of Ithamar: Daniel. From the descendants[g] of David: Hattush. 3 From the descendants[h] of Shecaniah, from the descendants[i] of Parosh: Zechariah and with him one hundred and fifty registered males. 4 From the descendants[j] of Pahath-Moab: Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah and with him two hundred males. 5 From the descendants[k] of Zattu:[l] Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. 6 From the descendants[m] of Adin: Ebed son of Jehonathan, and with him fifty males. 7 From the descendants[n] of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8 From the descendants[o] of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty males. 9 From the descendants[p] of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 From the descendants[q] of Bani:[r] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males. 11 From the descendants[s] of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males. 12 From the descendants[t] of Azgad: Jehohanan son of Haqqatan, and with him one hundred and ten males. 13 From the descendants[u] of Adonikam, those who came last, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, Shemaiah, and with them sixty males. 14 From the descendants[v] of Bigvai: Uthai son of Zabud,[w] and with him seventy males.
Servants for the Temple are Gathered
15 I gathered them by the river that goes to Ahava and we camped there for three days. And I looked at the people and the priests, I found no one there from the sons of Levi. 16 And I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were family heads, and for Jehoiarib and Elnathan who were wise. 17 I sent them to Iddo, the head of the place called Casiphia, and I placed in their mouths what words to say to Iddo and his brothers the temple servants in Casiphia, to send to us ministers for the house of our God. 18 With the good hand of our God before us, they brought us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel—Sherebiah and his sons and brothers, eighteen in total. 19 Also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty in total. 20 And from the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set up to serve the Levites, two hundred and twenty in total. All of them were registered by name.
Christ’s Servant, God’s Steward
4 Thus let a person consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2 In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court,[a] but I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.
The Apostles’ Humility
6 Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and Apollos for your sake, in order that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, lest someone be inflated with pride on behalf of one person against the other. 7 For who concedes you superiority? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if indeed you received it, why do you boast as if you[b] did not receive it? 8 Already you are satiated! Already you are rich! Apart from us you reign as kings! And would that indeed you reigned as kings, in order that we also might reign as kings with you! 9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people. 10 We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored! 11 Until the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless, 12 and we toil, working with our own hands. When we are[c] reviled, we bless; when we are[d] persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are[e] slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things, until now.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Believers
14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but admonishing you as my dear children. 15 For if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, become imitators of me. 17 Because of this, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my dear and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 But some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not with talk, but with power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
Thanksgiving for Answered Prayer
A psalm; a song for the dedication of the house.[a] Of David.[b]
30 I will exalt you, O Yahweh,
because you have drawn me up,
and have not made my enemies rejoice over me.
2 O Yahweh, my God,
I cried for help to you,
and you healed me.
3 O Yahweh, you have brought my life up from Sheol.
You preserved me alive
from among those going down [c] to the pit.
4 Sing praises to Yahweh, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy fame.[d]
5 For there is a moment in his anger;
there is a lifetime in his favor.
Weeping lodges for the evening,
but in the morning comes rejoicing.
6 But as for me, I had said in my prosperity,
“I shall not be moved ever.”
7 O Yahweh, by your favor
you caused my strong mountain to stand.
You hid your face. I was bewildered.
8 To you, O Yahweh, I called,
and to the Lord I pleaded for grace saying,
9 “What gain is there in my death,[e]
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 “O Yahweh, hear and be gracious to me.
O Yahweh, be my helper.”
11 You have turned my wailing into my dancing.
You have removed my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy
12 so that I[f] may sing praises to you
and not be quiet.
O Yahweh, my God,
I will give thanks to you forever.
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