PDF Ezra 5

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-\v 7 It was during the days of Artaxerxes that Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their companions wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.
+\v 7 It was during the days of Artaxerxes that Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.
 \v 8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote this way to King Artaxerxes about Jerusalem.
 
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-\v 9 Then Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and their other companions, who were judges and other officers in the government, the Persians, men from Erech and Babylon, and the men from Susa (that is, the Elamites)—they wrote a letter—
+\v 9 Then Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and their other associates, who were judges and other officers in the government, the Persians, men from Erech and Babylon, and the men from Susa (that is, the Elamites)—they wrote a letter—
 \v 10 and they were joined by the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal exiled and forced to settle in Samaria, along with the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River.
 
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-\v 17 So the king sent out a reply to Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and their companions in Samaria and the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River: "May peace be yours.
+\v 17 So the king sent out a reply to Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and their associates in Samaria and the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River: "May peace be yours.
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 \v 18 The letter that you sent me has been translated and read to me.
-\v 19 So a command was given by me, and they searched and found that for a long time that city has risen up against kings, and rebellion and revolt have been made in it.
+\v 19 So a decree was issued by me, and they searched and found that for a long time that city has risen up against kings, and rebellion and revolt have been made in it.
 
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 \v 20 Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and had power over everything in the Province Beyond the River. Tribute, taxes, and tolls were paid to them.
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-\v 23 When King Artaxerxes's decree was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went out quickly to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop building.
+\v 23 When King Artaxerxes's decree was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went out quickly to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop building.
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 \v 24 So the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
 
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 \v 3 Then Tattenai the governor of the Province Beyond the River, Shethar-Bozenai, and his associates came and said to them, "Who gave you a decree to build this house and complete these walls?"
 \v 4 They also said, "What are the names of the men building this building?"
-\v 5 But God's eye was on the Jewish elders and their enemies did not stop them. They were waiting for a letter to be sent to the king and for a decree to be returned to them concerning this.
+\v 5 But God's eye was on the Jewish elders and their enemies did not stop them. They were waiting for a letter to be sent to Darius and for a decree to be returned to them concerning this.
 
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-\v 8 Let the king know that we went to Judah to the house of the great God. It is being built with large stones and timbers set in the walls. This work is being done thoroughly and is going forward well in their hands.
+\v 8 Let the king know that we went to the province of Judah to the house of the great God. It is being built with large stones and timbers set in the walls. This work is being done thoroughly and is prospering in their hands.
-\v 9 We asked the elders, 'Who gave you a decree to build this house and these walls?'
+\v 9 We asked the elders, 'Who issued you a decree to build this house and these walls?'
-\v 10 We also asked them their names so you might know the name of each man who led them.
+\v 10 We also asked them their names to make them known to you; so the names of the men who were at their head are written down.
 
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-\v 11 They replied and said, 'We are servants of the one who is the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding this house that had been built many years ago when the great king of Israel built it and completed it.
+\v 11 This is how they answered us; they said, 'We are servants of the one who is the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding this house that had been built many years ago when the great king of Israel built it and completed it.
 
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 \v 12 However, when our ancestors enraged the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and took the people into exile in Babylon.
 \v 13 Nevertheless, in the first year when Cyrus was king of Babylon, Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild the house of God.
 
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-\v 14 King Cyrus also returned the gold and silver objects belonging to the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from the temple in Jerusalem to the temple in Babylon. He restored them to Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.
+\v 14 King Cyrus also returned the gold and silver objects belonging to the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from the temple in Jerusalem to the temple in Babylon. He restored them to someone named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.
 \v 15 He said to him, "Take these objects. Go and put them in the temple in Jerusalem. Let the house of God be rebuilt there."
 
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-\v 17 Now if it pleases the king, may it be investigated in the house of archives in Babylon if a judgment from King Cyrus exists there to build this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send his decision to us.
+\v 17 Now if it pleases the king, may it be investigated in the house of archives in Babylon if a decree from King Cyrus was issued to build this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send his decision to us.
 
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-\v 1 So King Darius ordered an investigation in the house of archives in Babylon.
+\v 1 So King Darius issued a decree, and they searched in the house of archives, where the treasuries were stored, there in Babylon.
-\v 2 In the fortified city of Ecbatana in Media a scroll was found; this was its record:
+\v 2 In the fortified city of Ecbatana in the province of Media a scroll was found; this was its record:
 
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-\v 6 Now Tattenai, the governor of the Province Beyond the River, Shethar-Bozenai, and associates who are in the Province Beyond the River, keep away!
+\v 6 Now Tattenai, governor of the Province Beyond the River, Shethar-Bozenai, and your associates who are in the Province Beyond the River, keep away!
 \v 7 Leave the work of this house of God alone. The governor and Jewish elders will build this house of God at that place.
 
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-\v 8 I am ordering that you must do this for these Jewish elders who build this house of God: Funds from the king's tribute beyond the River will be used to pay these men so they do not have to stop their work.
+\v 8 I am issuing a decree that you must do this for these Jewish elders who build this house of God: Funds from the king's tribute beyond the River will be used to pay these men so they do not have to stop their work.
 \v 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, or lambs for the burnt offerings to the God of Heaven, grain, salt, wine, or oil according to the command of the priests in Jerusalem—give these things to them every day without fail.
 \v 10 Do this so they will bring the offering in to the God of Heaven and pray for me, the king, and my sons.
 
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-\v 11 I am ordering that if anyone violates this decree, a beam must be pulled from his house and he must be impaled on it. His house must then be turned into a rubbish heap because of this.
+\v 11 I have issued a decree that if anyone violates this decree, a beam must be pulled from his house and he must be impaled on it. His house must then be turned into a rubbish heap because of this.
-\v 12 May the 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 house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, am ordering this. Let it be done with diligence!"
+\v 12 May the 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 house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, hereby issue this decree. Let it be done with diligence!"
 
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-\v 13 Then because of the decree sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the Province Beyond the River, and Shethar-Bozenai and his associates, did everything that King Darius had ordered.
+\v 13 Then because of the decree sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the Province Beyond the River, Shethar-Bozenai, and their associates, did everything that King Darius had ordered.
 \v 14 So the Jewish elders built and prospered under the teaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the descendant of Iddo. They completed their buildings according to the decree of the God of Israel and by the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of Persia.
 \v 15 The house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of King Darius's reign.
 
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 \v 12 "The King of kings Artaxerxes, to the priest Ezra, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:
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-\v 13 I am ordering that anyone from Israel in my kingdom along with their priests and Levites who desires to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
+\v 13 I hereby issue a decree that anyone from Israel in my kingdom along with their priests and Levites who desires to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
 
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 \v 14 I, the king, and my seven counselors, send you all out to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to God's law, which is in your hand.
 \v 15 You are to bring the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem.
-\v 16 Freely give all the silver and gold that all of Babylon has given along with what is freely offered by the people and the priests for the house of God in Jerusalem.
+\v 16 Freely give all the silver and gold that you find in the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offerings that the people and the priests have willingly offered for the house of God in Jerusalem.
 
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 \v 17 So buy in full the oxen, rams and lambs, and grain and drink offerings. Offer them on the altar that is in the house of your God in Jerusalem.
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 \v 20 Anything else that is needed for the house of your God that you require, take its cost from the royal treasury.
 
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-\v 21 I, King Artaxerxes, make a decree to all the treasurers in the Province Beyond the River, that anything that Ezra asks from you should be given in full,
+\v 21 I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue a decree to all the treasurers in the Province Beyond the River, that anything that Ezra asks from you should be given in full,
 \v 22 up to one hundred silver talents, one hundred cors of grain, one hundred baths of wine, and one hundred baths of oil, also salt without limit.
 \v 23 Anything that comes from the decree of the God of Heaven, do it with devotion for his house. For why should his wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons?