Old/New Testament
The Decree of Cyrus
1 In(A) the first year of Cyrus king of Persia,[a] the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled.(B) The Lord put it into the mind(C) of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:
2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.(D) 3 Whoever is among His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel,(E) the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Let every survivor,(F) wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.”
Return from Exile
5 So the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone God had motivated[b](G)—prepared to go up and rebuild the Lord’s house in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors supported them[c](H) with silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering. 7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods.(I) 8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under the supervision of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.(J) 9 This was the inventory:
30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins,
29 silver knives, 10 30 gold bowls,
410 various[d] silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles.
11 The gold and silver articles totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The Exiles Who Returned
2 These(K) now are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon[e] had deported to Babylon.(L) They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel,(M) Jeshua,(N) Nehemiah, Seraiah,(O) Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included:[f]
| 3 Parosh’s descendants(P) | 2,172 |
| 4 Shephatiah’s descendants | 372 |
| 5 Arah’s descendants | 775 |
| 6 Pahath-moab’s descendants: | |
| Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants | 2,812 |
| 7 Elam’s descendants | 1,254 |
| 8 Zattu’s descendants | 945 |
| 9 Zaccai’s descendants | 760 |
| 10 Bani’s descendants | 642 |
| 11 Bebai’s descendants | 623 |
| 12 Azgad’s descendants | 1,222 |
| 13 Adonikam’s descendants(Q) | 666 |
| 14 Bigvai’s descendants | 2,056 |
| 15 Adin’s descendants | 454 |
| 16 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah | 98 |
| 17 Bezai’s descendants | 323 |
| 18 Jorah’s descendants | 112 |
| 19 Hashum’s descendants | 223 |
| 20 Gibbar’s descendants | 95 |
| 21 Bethlehem’s(R) people | 123 |
| 22 Netophah’s men | 56 |
| 23 Anathoth’s men | 128 |
| 24 Azmaveth’s people | 42 |
| 25 Kiriatharim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s people | 743 |
| 26 Ramah’s(S) and Geba’s people | 621 |
| 27 Michmas’s men | 122 |
| 28 Bethel’s and Ai’s(T) men | 223 |
| 29 Nebo’s people | 52 |
| 30 Magbish’s people | 156 |
| 31 the other Elam’s people | 1,254 |
| 32 Harim’s people | 320 |
| 33 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people | 725 |
| 34 Jericho’s(U) people | 345 |
| 35 Senaah’s people | 3,630 |
36 The priests included:
| Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua | 973 |
| 37 Immer’s descendants | 1,052 |
| 38 Pashhur’s descendants | 1,247 |
| 39 and Harim’s descendants | 1,017 |
40 The Levites included:
| Jeshua’s and Kadmiel’s descendants | |
| from Hodaviah’s descendants | 74 |
41 The singers included:
| Asaph’s(V) descendants | 128 |
42 The gatekeepers’(W) descendants included:
| Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, | |
| Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, | |
| Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants, in all | 139 |
43 The temple servants(X) included:
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,
Tabbaoth’s descendants, 44 Keros’s descendants,
Siaha’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
45 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,
Akkub’s descendants, 46 Hagab’s descendants,
Shalmai’s[g] descendants, Hanan’s descendants,
47 Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
Reaiah’s descendants, 48 Rezin’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants, Gazzam’s descendants,
49 Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
Besai’s descendants, 50 Asnah’s descendants,
Meunim’s[h] descendants, Nephusim’s[i] descendants,
51 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants,
Harhur’s descendants, 52 Bazluth’s descendants,
Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants,
53 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants,
Temah’s descendants, 54 Neziah’s descendants,
and Hatipha’s descendants.
55 The descendants of Solomon’s servants(Y) included:
| Sotai’s descendants, Hassophereth’s descendants, | |
| Peruda’s descendants, 56 Jaalah’s descendants, | |
| Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, | |
| 57 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, | |
| Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, and Ami’s descendants. | |
| 58 All the temple servants | |
| and the descendants of Solomon’s servants | 392. |
59 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families and ancestry were Israelite:
| 60 Delaiah’s descendants, | |
| Tobiah’s descendants, | |
| Nekoda’s descendants | 652 |
61 and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. 62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 63 The governor(Z) ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.(AA)
| 64 The whole combined assembly numbered | 42,360 |
| 65 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, | |
| and their 200 male and female singers.(AB) | |
| 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, | |
| 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. |
Gifts for the Work
68 After they arrived at the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders gave freewill offerings(AC) for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its original site. 69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins,[j] 6,250 pounds[k] of silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasury(AD) for the project. 70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some of the people settled in their towns, and the rest of Israel settled in their towns.(AE)
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.” They did this to fulfill(A) the Scripture(B) that says: They divided My clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for My clothing.(C)[a] And this is what the soldiers did.
Jesus’ Provision for His Mother
25 Standing(D) by the cross(E) of Jesus were His mother,(F) His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.(G) 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved(H) standing there, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
The Finished Work of Jesus
28 After(I) this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished(J) that the Scripture might be fulfilled, He said, “I’m thirsty!”(K) 29 A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop[b](L) and held it up to His mouth.
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”(M) Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.(N)
Jesus’ Side Pierced
31 Since it was the preparation day,(O) the Jews did not want the bodies(P) to remain on the cross(Q) on the Sabbath(R) (for that Sabbath was a special[c] day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that their bodies be taken away.(S) 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with Him. 33 When they came to Jesus, they did not break His legs since they saw that He was already dead.(T) 34 But one of the soldiers pierced(U) His side(V) with a spear, and at once blood and water(W) came out. 35 He who saw this has testified(X) so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.(Y) 36 For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled:(Z) Not one of His bones will be broken.(AA)[d] 37 Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the One they pierced.(AB)[e]
Jesus’ Burial
38 After(AC) this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’ body.(AD) Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took His body away. 39 Nicodemus(AE) (who had previously come to Him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds[f] of myrrh and aloes. 40 Then they took Jesus’ body(AF) and wrapped it in linen cloths(AG) with the aromatic spices, according to the burial(AH) custom of the Jews. 41 There was a garden in the place where He was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. 42 They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation and since the tomb was nearby.
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