Old/New Testament
The Scroll with Cyrus’ Decree Is Found
6 Then King Darius issued a decree, and a (A)search was made in the [a]archives, where the treasures were deposited in Babylon. 2 And in [b]Ecbatana in the fortress, which is (B)in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows:
“Memorandum—
3 (C)In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree:
‘Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let that house, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be [c]retained, its height being [d]60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;
5 And also let (E)the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and [g]brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall deposit them in the house of God.’
6 “Now (F)Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the [h]River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, [i]keep away from there.
7 Leave that work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild that house of God in its designated place.
8 Moreover, (G)I issue a decree concerning what you shall do for those elders of Judah in the rebuilding of that house of God: the full cost is to be given to those people from the royal treasury out of the tribute of the provinces beyond the River, and that without negligence.
9 Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil, according to what the priests in Jerusalem say, it is to be given to them daily without negligence,
10 that they may bring sweet-smelling sacrifices near to the God of heaven and (H)pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11 And I issued a decree that (I)any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be pulled out from his house and he shall be impaled on it and (J)his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this.
12 May the God who (K)has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who [j]stretches out his hand to change it, so as to destroy that house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be done with all diligence!”
The Dedication of the House of God
13 Then (L)Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent. 14 And (M)the elders of the Jews were building and succeeding through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. So they built and completed it according to the decree of the God of Israel and the decree (N)of Cyrus, (O)Darius, and (P)Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And this house was brought to completion [k]on the third day of the (Q)month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16 And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the [l]exiles, (R)celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They brought near for the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel (S)12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 Then they appointed the priests to (T)their sections and the Levites in (U)their divisions for the service of God [m]in Jerusalem, (V)as it is written in the book of Moses.
Passover Celebrated
19 (W)And the exiles celebrated the Passover on (X)the fourteenth of the first month. 20 (Y)For the priests and the Levites had cleansed themselves together; all of them were clean. Then (Z)they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 21 Then the sons of Israel who returned from exile and (AA)all those who had separated themselves from (AB)the uncleanness of the nations of the land to join them, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate the Passover. 22 And (AC)they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with gladness, for Yahweh had caused them to be glad and (AD)had turned the heart of (AE)the king of Assyria toward them to [n]strengthen them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Ezra Goes Up from Babylon to Jerusalem
7 (AF)Now after these things, in the reign of (AG)Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra 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 Babylon, and he was a (AH)scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all [o]he requested (AI)because the hand of Yahweh his God was upon him. 7 (AJ)And some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the 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 of the first month [p]he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, (AK)because the good hand of his God was upon him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to [q]study the law of Yahweh and to practice it, and (AL)to teach His statute and judgment in Israel.
The King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra
11 Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, [r]learned in the words of the commandments of Yahweh and His statutes to Israel:
12 “[s]Artaxerxes, (AM)king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now—
13 (AN)I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who freely offer to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
14 Forasmuch as you are sent from before the king and his (AO)seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, (AP)whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
16 and (AQ)all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along (AR)with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who (AS)offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;
17 with this money, therefore, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, (AT)with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and (AU)bring them near to the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18 And whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.
19 Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
20 The rest of the needs for the house of your God, which may fall upon you to provide, (AV)provide for it from the royal treasury.
21 “So I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the [t]River, that whatever Ezra the priest, (AW)the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, it shall be done with all diligence,
22 even up to [u]100 talents of silver, [v]100 kors of wheat, [w]100 baths of wine, [x]100 baths of oil, and salt without written order.
23 Whatever is [y]decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, (AX)so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
24 We also make known to you that (AY)it is not allowed to [z]impose tribute, custom, or toll (AZ)on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, (BA)appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and to anyone who does not know the laws, you shall (BB)make them known.
26 (BC)Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be done to him with all diligence, whether for death or for [aa]banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”
Yahweh Put This in the King’s Heart
27 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, (BD)who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem, 28 and (BE)has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to (BF)the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and I gathered [ab]chief men from Israel to go up with me.
Genealogical Records
8 Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households and the genealogical records of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes:
2 of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom;
of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel;
of the sons of David, (BG)Hattush;
3 of the sons of Shecaniah who was of the sons of (BH)Parosh, Zechariah and with him 150 males who were in the genealogical records;
4 of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 males with him;
5 of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel and 300 males with him;
6 and of the sons of (BI)Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 males with him;
7 and of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 males with him;
8 and of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him;
9 of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 males with him;
10 and of the sons of Bani, Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah and 160 males with him;
11 and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 males with him;
12 and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 males with him;
13 and of the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, [ac]Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and 60 males with them;
14 and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai, and [ad]Zabbud, and 70 males with [ae]them.
Ezra Sends for Levites
15 Now I gathered them at (BJ)the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days. And I [af]observed the people and the priests, but I (BK)did not find any Levites there. 16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, [ag]chief men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers. 17 I sent them out to Iddo the [ah]chief man at the place Casiphia; and I put words in their mouths to say to [ai]Iddo and his brothers, (BL)the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to us for the house of our God. 18 (BM)So, according to the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a (BN)man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men; 19 and Hashabiah and [aj]Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men; 20 and 220 of (BO)the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, all of them designated by name.
God’s Protection Sought
21 Then I called for (BP)a fast there at (BQ)the river of Ahava, that we might (BR)humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a [ak]direct journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to ask from the king for a military force and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “(BS)The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him, for their good, but (BT)His strength and His anger are against all those who (BU)forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He [al](BV)was moved by our entreaty.
24 Then I [am]set apart twelve of the leading priests, (BW)Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; 25 and I (BX)weighed out to them (BY)the silver, the gold, and the utensils, the contribution for the house of our God which the king and (BZ)his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered. 26 (CA)Thus I weighed into their hands [an]650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents, 27 and 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 [ao]darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. 28 Then I said to them, “(CB)You are holy to Yahweh, and the (CC)utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers. 29 Watch and keep them (CD)until you weigh them before the officials of the priests, the Levites and the officials of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Yahweh.” 30 So the priests and the Levites (CE)accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.
31 Then we set out from (CF)the river Ahava on (CG)the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and (CH)the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way. 32 (CI)Thus we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days.
Silver, Gold, and Utensils Weighed
33 On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the utensils (CJ)were weighed out in the house of our God into the hand of (CK)Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34 Everything was numbered and weighed, and all the weight was written down at that time.
35 (CL)The exiles who had come from the captivity brought burnt offerings near to the God of Israel: (CM)12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to Yahweh. 36 Then (CN)they gave the king’s edicts to (CO)the king’s satraps and to the governors in the provinces beyond the [ap]River, and they supported the people and the house of God.
Jesus Appears at the Sea of Galilee
21 After these things Jesus [a](A)manifested Himself (B)again to the disciples at the (C)Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and (D)Thomas called [b]Didymus, and (E)Nathanael of (F)Cana in Galilee, and (G)the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and (H)that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not (I)know that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus *said to them, “Children, (J)do you have [c]any fish?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “(K)Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. 7 (L)Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and cast himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about [d]two hundred cubits away, dragging the net full of fish.
9 So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal (M)fire in place and (N)fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the (O)fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, 153; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus Provides Breakfast
12 Jesus *said to them, “Come, have (P)breakfast.” None of the disciples dared to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus *came and *took (Q)the bread and *gave it to them, and the (R)fish likewise. 14 This is now the (S)third time that Jesus [e]was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.
Peter’s Restoration and Commission
15 So when they had (T)finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you [f](U)love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [g]love You.” He *said to him, “Tend (V)My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you [h]love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [i]love You.” He *said to him, “(W)Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you [j]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him (X)the third time, “Do you [k]love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, (Y)You know all things; You know that I [l]love You.” Jesus *said to him, “(Z)Tend My sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, (AA)signifying by (AB)what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “(AC)Follow Me!”
Jesus’ Command to Follow Him
20 Peter, turning around, *saw the (AD)disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had (AE)leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain (AF)until I come, what is that to you? You (AG)follow Me!” 23 Therefore this saying went out among (AH)the brothers that this disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain (AI)until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who (AJ)is bearing witness to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his witness is true.
25 And there are also (AK)many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written one after the other, I suppose that even the world itself *could not contain the books that *would be written.
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