Returning Home to Rebuild God's House

1. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2. “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded 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, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4. Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, besides the freewill offering for God’s house which is in Jerusalem.’” 5. Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin, the priests, and the Levites, all whose spirit God had stirred to go up rose up to build Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem. 6. All those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered. 7. Also Cyrus the king brought out the vessels of Yahweh’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods; 8. even those, Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 9. This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives, 10. thirty bowls of gold, four hundred ten silver bowls of a second sort, and one thousand other vessels. 11. All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these up when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem. 1. Now these are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city; 2. who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3. The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. 4. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. 5. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy-five. 6. The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred twelve. 7. The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 8. The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five. 9. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 10. The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two. 11. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-three. 12. The children of Azgad, one thousand two hundred twenty-two. 13. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six. 14. The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six. 15. The children of Adin, four hundred fifty-four. 16. The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 17. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-three. 18. The children of Jorah, one hundred twelve. 19. The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty-three. 20. The children of Gibbar, ninety-five. 21. The children of Bethlehem, one hundred twenty-three. 22. The men of Netophah, fifty-six. 23. The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 24. The children of Azmaveth, forty-two. 25. The children of Kiriath Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 26. The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 27. The men of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two. 28. The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three. 29. The children of Nebo, fifty-two. 30. The children of Magbish, one hundred fifty-six. 31. The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 32. The children of Harim, three hundred twenty. 33. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five. 34. The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 35. The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty. 36. The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. 37. The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 38. The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 39. The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen. 40. The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy-four. 41. The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred twenty-eight. 42. The children of the gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all one hundred thirty-nine. 43. The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 44. the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, 45. the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, 46. the children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai, the children of Hanan, 47. the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, 48. the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 49. the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, 50. the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephisim, 51. the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52. the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53. the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 54. the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 55. The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda, 56. the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 57. the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Ami. 58. All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two. 59. These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, and their offspring, whether they were of Israel: 60. the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. 61. Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, and the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. 62. These sought their place among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. 63. The governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to serve with Urim and with Thummim. 64. The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 65. besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women. 66. Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; 67. their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty. 68. Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they came to Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for God’s house to set it up in its place. 69. They gave according to their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments. 70. So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. 1. When the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2. Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak stood up with his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. 3. In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to Yahweh, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4. They kept the feast of tents, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; 5. and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to Yahweh. 6. From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh; but the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was not yet laid. 7. They also gave money to the masons, and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia. 8. Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of Yahweh’s house. 9. Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites. 10. When the builders laid the foundation of Yahweh’s temple, they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11. They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of Yahweh’s house had been laid. 12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy, 13. so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.

1. For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. 2. For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven; 3. if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked. 4. For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5. Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit. 6. Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; 7. for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8. We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. 9. Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. 10. For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11. Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences. 12. For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart. 13. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you. 14. For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died. 15. He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again. 16. Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. 18. But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19. namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20. We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 1. Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain, 2. for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. 3. We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, 4. but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5. in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; 6. in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, 7. in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8. by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9. as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed; 10. as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 11. Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged. 12. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13. Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also open your hearts. 14. Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15. What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? 16. What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17. Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. 18. I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.” 1. Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2. Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one. 3. I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together. 4. Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction. 5. For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside. 6. Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7. and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more. 8. For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while. 9. I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing. 10. For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death. 11. For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. 12. So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God. 13. Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14. For if in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth. 15. His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16. I rejoice that in everything I am confident concerning you. 1. Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia; 2. how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity. 3. For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4. begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints. 5. This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. 6. So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace. 7. But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace. 8. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. 9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. 10. I give a judgment in this: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing. 11. But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. 13. For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed, 14. but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality. 15. As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” 16. But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17. For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord. 18. We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies. 19. Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness. 20. We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us. 21. Having regard for honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22. We have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you. 23. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ. 24. Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.

1. Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say, 2. many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me. 3. The plowers plowed on my back. They made their furrows long. 4. Yahweh is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked. 5. Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion. 6. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up; 7. with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom. 8. Neither do those who go by say, “The blessing of Yahweh be on you. We bless you in Yahweh’s name.”