我们是奴仆，然而在受辖制之中，我们的神仍没有丢弃我们，在波斯王眼前向我们施恩，叫我们复兴，能重建我们神的殿，修其毁坏之处，使我们在犹大和耶路撒冷有墙垣。

我们是奴仆，然而在受辖制之中，我们的上帝没有丢弃我们，在波斯诸王面前向我们施恩，叫我们复兴，能重建我们上帝的殿，修补毁坏之处，使我们在犹大和耶路撒冷有城墙。

我们是奴仆，然而在受辖制之中，我们的神没有丢弃我们，在波斯诸王面前向我们施恩，叫我们复兴，能重建我们神的殿，修补毁坏之处，使我们在犹大和耶路撒冷有城墙。

虽然我们是奴隶，我们的上帝却没有离弃受奴役的我们，祂在波斯众王面前施恩于我们，使我们复兴、得以重建毁坏的上帝的殿，让我们在犹大和耶路撒冷有护墙。

虽然我们是奴隶，但在奴役中，我们的神仍然没有撇弃我们，反而使我们在波斯列王面前得蒙恩惠，使我们复兴，建立我们神的殿，重修毁坏的地方，使我们在犹大和耶路撒冷有墙垣。

我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的神仍沒有丟棄我們，在波斯王眼前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們神的殿，修其毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。

我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的上帝沒有丟棄我們，在波斯諸王面前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們上帝的殿，修補毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有城牆。

我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的神沒有丟棄我們，在波斯諸王面前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們神的殿，修補毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有城牆。

雖然我們是奴隸，我們的上帝卻沒有離棄受奴役的我們，祂在波斯眾王面前施恩於我們，使我們復興、得以重建毀壞的上帝的殿，讓我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有護牆。

雖然我們是奴隸，但在奴役中，我們的神仍然沒有撇棄我們，反而使我們在波斯列王面前得蒙恩惠，使我們復興，建立我們神的殿，重修毀壞的地方，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。

我們是奴隸，然而在受奴轄之中、我們的上帝仍然沒有撇棄我們，反而使我們在波斯王面前受得恩寵，使我們得到復興，能夠建立起我們的上帝的殿，重立起它荒廢之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有個藩籬。

我為奴僕、然於服役、上帝不棄、在波斯王前、施恩於我、使復振興、能建我上帝室、修其荒墟、於猶大及耶路撒冷、得有垣墉、

昔我為人服役、蒙上帝不棄、使巴西王矜憫我、賜復振興、能建上帝殿、見其傾圯、重加修葺、築垣於猶大及耶路撒冷。

我雖為人服役、在受轄制之中、我天主仍未棄我、使我在巴西王前蒙矜憐、賜我新生、賜我新生或作全我生命能復建我天主之殿、補其傾圮、又使我在猶大及耶路撒冷得得或作重建城垣、

Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

We are still slaves. But you are our God. You haven’t turned away from us. You haven’t left us in our slavery. You have been kind to us. The kings of Persia have seen it. You have given us new life to repair your temple and rebuild it. You have given us a place of safety in Judah and Jerusalem.

For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings, giving us relief, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not abandoned us, but has extended favor to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to erect the house of our God, to restore its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

For we are bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended lovingkindness unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the ruins thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings, giving us new life, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

For we[ were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, in that he has revived us to restore the temple of our God and to raise up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever. (niv)

this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. (niv)

“ You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty.“ Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. (niv)

for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy. (niv)

And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord,‘ and I will be its glory within.’ (niv)

So he said to me,“ This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:‘ Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.“ What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of‘ God bless it! God bless it!’”Then the word of the Lord came to me:“ The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.“ Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” (niv)

“ Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven‘ sevens,’ and sixty- two‘ sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. (niv)

So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. (niv)

Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. (niv)

“ Therefore say:‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’ (niv)

King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon.A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it: Memorandum:In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide,with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans- Euphrates, and Shethar- Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there.Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans- Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.Whatever is needed— young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem— must be given them daily without fail,so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble.May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence. (niv)

“ But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress. (niv)

Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.This was the inventory: gold dishes 30 silver dishes 1,000 silver pans 29gold bowls30 matching silver bowls410 other articles1,000In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem. (niv)

This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go.You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God.And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans- Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you—up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates— all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them.Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this wayand who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. (niv)

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:“ This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:“‘ The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’” (niv)

He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. (niv)

Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. (niv)