Old/New Testament
Cyrus Lets the Jews Return
1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the words of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah came true. The Lord worked in the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he made it known through all his nation, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the nations of the earth. He has chosen me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build again the house of the Lord, the God of Israel. He is the God Who is in Jerusalem. 4 Let each one who is still alive, at whatever place he may live, be helped by the men of his place with silver and gold and with good things and cattle. Let the men also give a free-will gift for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”
5 Then the leaders of the family groups of Judah and Benjamin and the religious leaders and Levites stood up, everyone in whose spirit the Lord had worked to go up and build the Lord’s house in Jerusalem again. 6 All those around them helped them with gifts of silver, gold, good things, cattle, and things worth much money, besides all that was given as a free-will gift. 7 King Cyrus brought out the objects of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out by Mithredath, the man who took care of the nation’s riches. And he numbered them as he handed them over to Sheshbazzar, the leader of Judah. 9 This was their number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 other dishes, 10 30 gold pots, 410 silver pots, and 1,000 other objects. 11 There were 5,400 objects of gold and silver in all. Sheshbazzar brought all of them back when the people who had been taken away went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Families Who Returned
2 These are the people who left the land of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. Their families had been taken away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. 2 These people returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of the men of Israel: 3 2,172 sons of Parosh, 4 372 sons of Shephatiah, 5 775 sons of Arah, 6 2,812 sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 7 1,254 sons of Elam, 8 945 sons of Zattu, 9 760 sons of Zaccai, 10 642 sons of Bani, 11 623 sons of Bebai, 12 1,222 sons of Azgad, 13 666 sons of Adonikam, 14 2,056 sons of Bigvai, 15 454 sons of Adin, 16 98 sons of Ater, 17 323 sons of Bezai, 18 112 sons of Jorah, 19 223 sons of Hashum, 20 95 sons of Gibbar, 21 123 sons of Bethlehem, 22 56 sons of Netophah, 23 128 sons of Anathoth, 24 42 sons of Azmaveth, 25 743 sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 26 621 sons of Raman and Geba, 27 122 sons of Michmas, 28 223 sons of Bethel and Ai, 29 52 sons of Nebo, 30 156 sons of Magbish, 31 1,254 sons of the other Elam, 32 320 sons of Harim, 33 725 sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 34 345 sons of Jericho, 35 3,630 sons of Senaah.
36 The religious leaders: 973 sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 37 1,052 sons of Immer, 38 1,247 sons of Pashhur, 39 1,017 sons of Harim.
40 The Levites: 74 sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah. 41 The singers: 128 sons of Asaph. 42 The sons of the gate-keepers: 139 of the sons of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai.
43 The men who worked in the house of the Lord: 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 Nephisim, 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: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ami. 58 All the servants of the house of the Lord, and all the sons of Solomon’s servants, were 392.
59 Now these are the men who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer. But they were not able to show that their fathers and they were children of Israel: 60 652 sons of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda. 61 And the sons of the religious leaders: the sons of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name. 62 These men looked for their names among the names of all the families, but could not find them. So they were thought of as being unclean, and were not allowed to work as religious leaders. 63 And the leader told them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a religious leader learned God’s will by the Urim and Thummin.
64 There were 42,360 people in all, 65 besides the 7,337 men servants and women servants, and 200 singing men and women. 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
68 When they came to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the family groups gave a free-will gift for the house of God to be built again on the same place. 69 As they were able, they gave 61,000 gold-pieces and 5,000 silverpieces and 100 coats for the religious leaders, for the work to be done.
70 So the religious leaders, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gate-keepers and the servants of the Lord’s house lived in their own cities, and all Israel lived in their cities.
They Divided His Clothes (A)
23 The soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross took His clothes and divided them in four parts, each soldier getting one part. But His coat which was not sewed was made in one piece. 24 They said to each other, “Let us not cut it up. Let us draw names to see whose it should be.” This happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen, “They divided My clothes among them and they drew names for My coat.” (B) 25 This is what the soldiers did.
The Women at the Cross (C)
The mother of Jesus and her sister Mary, the wife of Cleophas, were standing near the cross. Mary Magdalene was there also. 26 Jesus saw His mother and the follower whom He loved standing near. He said to His mother, “Woman, look at your son.” 27 Then Jesus said to the follower, “Look at your mother.” From that time the follower took her to his own house.
The Death of Jesus (D)
28 Jesus knew that everything was now finished. Everything happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen. He said, “I am thirsty.” (E) 29 There was a jar full of sour wine near. They filled a sponge and put it on a stick and put it to His mouth. 30 Jesus took the sour wine and said, “It is finished.” He put His head down and gave up His spirit and died.
His Bones Were Not Broken
31 This was the day before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. The next day was the Day of Rest and the great day of the religious gathering. The Jews went to Pilate and asked to have the legs of the men broken. They wanted their bodies taken away so they would not be hanging on the crosses on the Day of Rest. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been nailed to crosses beside Jesus. 33 They came to Jesus. They saw He was already dead so they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pushed a spear into His side. Blood and water ran out.
35 The one who saw it is writing this and what he says is true. He knows he is telling the truth so you may believe. 36 These things happened as the Holy Writings said they would happen, “Not one of His bones will be broken.” (F) 37 And in another place the Holy Writings say, “They will look at Him Whose side they cut.” (G)
The Grave of Jesus (H)
38 Joseph was from the town of Arimathea. He was a follower of Jesus but was afraid of the Jews. So he worshiped without anyone knowing it. He asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus. Pilate said he could. Then Joseph came and took it away. 39 Nicodemus came also. The first time he had come to Jesus had been at night. He brought with him a large box of spices. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus with the spices and put it in linen cloths. This was the way the Jews made a body ready for the grave.
41 There was a garden near the place where He had been nailed to the cross. In the garden there was a new grave in the side of the hill. No one had ever been laid there. 42 This place was near by. Because it was the day the Jews got ready for the special religious gathering, they laid Jesus in it.
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