Old/New Testament
Rebuilding the Temple
3 When the seventh month arrived and the sons of Israel were settled in the towns, the people gathered together as one man in Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, his fellow kohanim, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel, in order to offer burnt offerings on it as written in the Torah of Moses, the man of God. 3 They set up the altar on its fixed resting place despite their fear of the peoples of the lands and they offered burnt offerings on it to Adonai, both the morning and the evening sacrifices. 4 They also kept the Feast of Sukkot as it is written and offered the prescribed number of daily burnt offerings according to the requirement for each day.
5 After that they presented the regular burnt offerings, the new moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the sacred moadim of Adonai, as well as all the freewill offerings brought to Adonai. 6 From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to Adonai, though the foundation of the Temple of Adonai had not been laid. 7 So they gave money to the stone-masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians to bring cedar trees by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by King Cyrus of Persia.
8 In the second month of the second year after they had come to the House of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers—the kohanim, the Levites and all who returned from captivity to Jerusalem—began the work. They appointed the Levites from twenty years of age and older to supervise the work on the House of Adonai.
9 Then Jeshua, his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, stood together to supervise those working in the House of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their brothers, the Levites.
10 When the builders had laid the foundation of the Temple of Adonai, the kohanim, arrayed in their vestments and with clarions, and the Levites sons of Asaph with cymbals, were stationed to praise Adonai as prescribed by King David of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to Adonai,
“For He is good;
For His mercy upon Israel
endures forever.”
Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to Adonai because the foundation of the House of Adonai had been laid. 12 But many of the kohanim, Levites and patriarchal leaders, older men who had seen the former House, wept loudly at the sight of the founding of this House, while many shouted for joy. 13 People could not distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of the people’s weeping. For the people were shouting so loudly that the sound was heard far away.
Resistance Weakens the People
4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Adonai the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the leading patriarchs and said to them, “Let us build with you, for like you we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the prominent patriarchs of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and us to build a House for our God—but we alone will build it for Adonai the God of Israel, just as Cyrus—king of Persia—has commanded us.”
4 Then the people of the land began discouraging[a] the people of Judah and making them afraid to build. 5 They bribed advisors in order to thwart their plans all the days of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 During the reign of Ahasuerus at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 Also during the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. 8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and the officials, the magistrates, and governors over the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites) 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and the rest of Trans-Euphrates.[b]
(Now 11 this is a copy of the letter they sent to him.)
To Artaxerxes the king, from your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:
Now 12 let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city. They are completing the walls and repairing the foundations.
13 “Furthermore, let it be known to the king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, no more tribute, taxes or duty will be paid and the royal revenue will suffer. 14 Now since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king 15 so that a search may be made in the book of records of your fathers and you will discover in the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting internal revolts from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have any possession in Trans-Euphrates.”
17 The king sent this reply:
“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates who dwell in Samaria and the others in Trans-Euphrates.
“Shalom!
18 “The letter that you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. 19 At my order a search was made and it was found that this city has from earliest times revolted against kings and that rebellion and sedition continually occur in it. 20 Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem governing all the Trans-Euphrates, and tribute, taxes, and duty were paid to them.
21 “So now, issue a decree to stop these men—this city is not to be rebuilt until I issue a decree. 22 Be careful not to be negligent in this matter. Why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?”
23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they hurried off to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and power compelled them to stop. 24 Thus the work on the House of God in Jerusalem ceased. It remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Prophets Restart the Project
5 Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the House of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them supporting them.
3 At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and asked them, “Who gave you the authority to build this House and to complete this structure?” 4 They also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and a written reply about it be returned.
6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shetar-bozenai, and his colleagues, officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. 7 The report they sent to him was written as follows:
“To King Darius.
“All Shalom!
8 “Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the House of the great God, which is being built with large stones and timber is being set in the walls. Now this work is being done diligently and is succeeding in their hands.
9 Then we questioned those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to build this House and to complete this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names in order to inform you, so that we might write the names of the men who were in charge of them.
11 They responded to us saying,
‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the House that was built many years ago. A great king of Israel built and finished it. 12 But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean. He destroyed this House and carried the people away to Babylon.
13 ‘However, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this House of God. 14 Even the gold and silver utensils of the House of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and had carried away to the temple in Babylon—King Cyrus took those things from the temple in Babylon and gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.
15 ‘Then he said to him, “Take these vessels and go and deposit them in the Temple in Jerusalem and let the House of God be built in its place!” 16 So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the House of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now it has been under construction, yet it is not yet finished.’
17 “Now, if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see if in fact King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this House of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision about this matter.”
The Lamb of God is Resurrected
20 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it is still dark, Miriam from Magdala comes to the tomb. She sees that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. 2 So she comes running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Yeshua loved. She tells them, “They’ve taken the Master out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put Him!”
3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out, going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and arrived at the tomb first. 5 Leaning in, he sees the linen strips lying there. But he didn’t go in.
6 Then Simon Peter comes following him, and he entered the tomb. He looks upon the linen strips lying there, 7 and the face cloth that had been on His head. It was not lying with the linen strips, but was rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also entered. He saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand from Scripture that Yeshua must rise from the dead. [a] 10 So the disciples went back to their own homes.
Yeshua Appears to Miriam
11 But Miriam stood outside the tomb weeping. As she was weeping, she bent down to look into the tomb. 12 She sees two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where Yeshua’s body had been lying.
13 “Woman, why are you crying?” they say to her.
She says to them, “Because they took away my Master, and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 After she said these things, she turned around. And she sees Yeshua standing there. Yet she didn’t know that it was Yeshua.
15 Yeshua says to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”
Thinking He’s the gardener, she says to Him, “Sir, if You’ve carried Him away, tell me where You’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Yeshua says to her, “Miriam!”
Turning around, she says to Him in Aramaic,[b] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
17 Yeshua says to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet gone up to the Father. Go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am going up to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
18 Miriam from Magdala comes, announcing to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord,” and what He had said to her.
Yeshua Appears to the Disciples
19 It was evening on that day, the first of the week. When the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Judean leaders, Yeshua came and stood in their midst! And He said to them, “Shalom aleichem!” 20 After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Yeshua said to them again, “Shalom aleichem! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And after He said this, He breathed on them. And He said to them, “Receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh! 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; but if you hold back, they are held back.”
24 One of the Twelve, Thomas called the Twin, was not with them when Yeshua came. 25 The other disciples were saying to him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”
But he replied to them, “Unless I see the nail prints in His hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand in His side, I will never believe!”
26 Eight days later the disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Yeshua comes, despite the locked doors. He stood in their midst and said, “Shalom aleichem!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe!”
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Yeshua said to Him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed? Blessed are the ones who have not seen and yet have believed!”
The Reason for Signs and Wonders
30 Yeshua performed many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these things have been written so that you may believe that Yeshua is Mashiach Ben-Elohim, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.