| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah, | 1After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra-- Seraiah's son, Azariah's son, Hilkiah's son, |
| 2who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub, | 2Shallum's son, Zadok's son, Ahitub's son, |
| 3who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth, | 3Amariah's son, Azariah's son, Meraioth's son, |
| 4who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki, | 4Zerahiah's son, Uzzi's son, Bukki's son, |
| 5who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron the chief priest. | 5Abishua's son, Phinehas's son, Eleazar's son, Aaron the chief priest's son |
| 6This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. | 6#NAME? |
| 7In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought up to Jerusalem some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. | 7Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants accompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. |
| 8He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. | 8Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, during the seventh year of the king. |
| 9On the first day of the first month he had determined to make the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. | 9He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month since the gracious hand of his God was on him. |
| 10Now Ezra had dedicated himself to the study of the law of the LORD, to its observance, and to teaching its statutes and judgments in Israel. | 10Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the LORD, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel. |
| 11What follows is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. Ezra was a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the LORD and his statutes over Israel: | 11This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in matters of the LORD's commands and statutes for Israel: |
| 12"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven: | 12Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven: Greetings. |
| 13I have now issued a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel--even the priests and Levites--who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. | 13I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. |
| 14You are authorized by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession, | 14You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your possession. |
| 15and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, | 15You are also to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors have willingly given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, |
| 16along with all the silver and gold that you may collect throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. | 16and all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. |
| 17With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. | 17Then you are to buy with this money as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. |
| 18You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. | 18You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. |
| 19Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. | 19You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. |
| 20The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply, you may do so from the royal treasury. | 20You may use the royal treasury to pay for anything else needed for the house of your God. |
| 21"I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you-- | 21I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River: Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven, asks of you must be provided promptly, |
| 22up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, and unlimited salt. | 22up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit. |
| 23Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the empire of the king and his sons? | 23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons. |
| 24Furthermore, be aware of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God. | 24Be advised that tribute, duty, and land tax must not be imposed on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. |
| 25"Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, appoint judges and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. | 25And you, Ezra, according to God's wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them. |
| 26Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison." | 26Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a fair judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. |
| 27Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the LORD which is in Jerusalem! | 27Praise Yahweh the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's mind to glorify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, |
| 28He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the LORD my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. | 28and who has shown favor to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by Yahweh my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me. |
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