11 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia - this fulfilled the Message of God preached by Jeremiah - God prodded Cyrus king of Persia to make an official announcement throughout his kingdom. He wrote it out as follows: 2 From Cyrus king of Persia, a Proclamation: God, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has also assigned me to build him a Temple of worship in Jerusalem, Judah. 3 Who among you belongs to his people? God be with you! Go to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build The Temple of God, the God of Israel, Jerusalem's God. 4 Those who stay behind, wherever they happen to live, will support them with silver, gold, tools, and pack animals, along with Freewill-Offerings for The Temple of God in Jerusalem.
5 The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites - everyone, in fact, God prodded - set out to build The Temple of God in Jerusalem. 6 Their neighbors rallied behind them enthusiastically with silver, gold, tools, pack animals, expensive gifts, and, over and above these, Freewill-Offerings. 7 Also, King Cyrus turned over to them all the vessels and utensils from The Temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had hauled from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia put Mithredath the treasurer in charge of the transfer; he provided a full inventory for Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah, including the following: 9 30 gold dishes 1,000 silver dishes 10 29 silver pans 30 gold bowls 410 duplicate silver bowls 1,000 miscellaneous items. 11 All told, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles that Sheshbazzar took with him when he brought the exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem.
21 These are the people from the province who now returned from the captivity, exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried off captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his hometown. 2 They came in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The numbers of the returning Israelites by families of origin were as follows: 3 Parosh, 2,172 4 Shephatiah, 372 5 Arah, 775 6 Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812 7 Elam, 1,254 8 Zattu, 945 9 Zaccai, 760 10 Bani, 642 11 Bebai, 623 12 Azgad, 1,222 13 Adonikam, 666 14 Bigvai, 2,056 15 Adin, 454 16 Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98 17 Bezai, 323 18 Jorah, 112 19 Hashum, 223 20 Gibbar, 95. 21 Israelites identified by place of origin were as follows: Bethlehem, 123 22 Netophah, 56 23 Anathoth, 128 24 Azmaveth, 42 25 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743 26 Ramah and Geba, 621 27 Micmash, 122 28 Bethel and Ai, 223 29 Nebo, 52 30 Magbish, 156 31 Elam (the other one), 1,254 32 Harim, 320 33 Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725 34 Jericho, 345 35 Senaah, 3,630.
36 Priestly families: Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973 37 Immer, 1,052 38 Pashhur, 1,247 39 Harim, 1,017. 40 Levitical families: Jeshua and Kadmiel (sons of Hodaviah), 74. 41 Singers: Asaph's family line, 128. 42 Security guard families: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 139. 43 Families of temple support staff: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim, 51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 Neziah, and Hatipha. 55 Families of Solomon's servants: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, 56 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Ami. 58 Temple support staff and Solomon's servants added up to 392. 59 These are those who came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. They weren't able to prove their ancestry, whether they were true Israelites or not: 60 Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 652 in all. 61 Likewise with these priestly families: Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and took that name. 62 They had thoroughly searched for their family records but couldn't find them. And so they were barred from priestly work as ritually unclean. 63 The governor ruled that they could not eat from the holy food until a priest could determine their status with the Urim and Thummim.
64 The total count for the congregation was 42,360. 65 That did not include the male and female slaves, which numbered 7,337. There were also 200 male and female singers, 66 and they had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 68 Some of the heads of families, on arriving at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, made Freewill-Offerings toward the rebuilding of The Temple of God on its site. 69 They gave to the building fund as they were able, about 1,100 pounds of gold, about three tons of silver, and 100 priestly robes. 70 The priests, Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem. The singers, security guards, and temple support staff found places in their hometowns. All the Israelites found a place to live.
23 When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, 24 so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!) 25 Jesus' mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. 26 Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." 27 Then to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother. 28 Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty." 29 A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. 30 After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.
31 Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn't stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. 33 When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. 34 One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out. 35 The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe. 36 These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, "Not a bone in his body was broken," 37 and the other Scripture that reads, "They will stare at the one they pierced."
38 After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body. 39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 They took Jesus' body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices. 41 There was a garden near the place he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. 42 So, because it was Sabbath preparation for the Jews and the tomb was convenient, they placed Jesus in it.
(Read John 19:19-30)
Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.
(Read John 19:31-37)
A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; no human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnly attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and water that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced side of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for our justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's not allowing his legs to be broken, Exodus 12:46. May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins, we have ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both water and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in his name.
(Read John 19:38-42)
Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret. Disciples should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser trials have been fearful, in greater have been courageous. When God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it. The embalming was done by Nicodemus, a secret friend to Christ, though not his constant follower. That grace which at first is like a bruised reed, may afterward resemble a strong cedar. Hereby these two rich men showed the value they had for Christ's person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened by the reproach of the cross. We must do our duty as the present day and opportunity are, and leave it to God to fulfil his promises in his own way and his own time. The grave of Jesus was appointed with the wicked, as was the case of those who suffered as criminals; but he was with the rich in his death, as prophesied, Isaiah 53:9; these two circumstances it was very unlikely should ever be united in the same person. He was buried in a new sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that it was not he, but some other that rose. We also are here taught not to be particular as to the place of our burial. He was buried in the sepulchre next at hand. Here is the Sun of Righteousness set for a while, to rise again in greater glory, and then to set no more.
