6¹ Then Darius the king made a decree, and they sought in the house of the books of the treasuries placed there in Babylon, ² and there hath been found at Achmetha, in a palace that 'is' in the province of Media, a roll, and a record thus written within it 'is': ³ 'In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king hath made a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: the house let be builded in the place where they are sacrificing sacrifices, and its foundations strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits; ⁴ three rows of rolled stones, and a row of new wood, and the outlay let be given out of the king's house. ⁵ 'And also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple that 'is' in Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, let be given back, and go to the temple that 'is' in Jerusalem, 'each' to its place, and put 'them' down in the house of God. ⁶ 'Now, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, the Apharsachites, who 'are' beyond the river, be ye far from hence; ⁷ let alone the work of this house of God, let the governor of the Jews, and the elders of the Jews, build this house of God on its place. ⁸ 'And by me is made a decree concerning that which ye do with the elders of these Jews to build this house of God, that of the riches of the king, that 'are' of the tribute beyond the river, speedily let the outlay be given to these men, that they cease not; ⁹ and what they are needing—both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil according to the saying of the priests who 'are' in Jerusalem—let be given to them day by day without fail, ¹⁰ that they be bringing near sweet savours to the God of heaven, and praying for the life of the king, and of his sons. ¹¹ 'And by me is made a decree, that any one who changeth this thing, let wood be pulled down from his house, and being raised up, let him be smitten on it, and his house let be made a dunghill for this. ¹² And God, who caused His name to dwell there, doth cast down any king and people that putteth forth his hand to change, to destroy this house of God that 'is' in Jerusalem; I Darius have made a decree; speedily let it be done.'

¹³ Then Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king hath sent, so they have done speedily; ¹⁴ and the elders of the Jews are building and prospering through the prophecy of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, and they have built and finished by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. ¹⁵ And this house hath gone out till the third day of the month Adar, that is 'in' the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. ¹⁶ And the sons of Israel have made, 'and' the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, a dedication of this house of God with joy, ¹⁷ and have brought near for the dedication of this house of God, bullocks a hundred, rams two hundred, lambs four hundred; and young he-goats for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel; ¹⁸ and they have established the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God that 'is' in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. ¹⁹ And the sons of the captivity make the passover on the fourteenth of the first month, ²⁰ for the priests and the Levites have been purified together—all of them 'are' pure—and they slaughter the passover for all the sons of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. ²¹ And the sons of Israel, those returning from the captivity, and every one who is separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land unto them, to seek to Jehovah, God of Israel, do eat, ²² and they make the feast of unleavened things seven days with joy, for Jehovah made them to rejoice, and turned round the heart of the king of Asshur unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra and His Company Come to Jerusalem

7¹ And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ² son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³ son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴ son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵ son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the head priest; ⁶ Ezra himself hath come up from Babylon, and he 'is' a scribe ready in the law of Moses, that Jehovah God of Israel gave, and the king giveth to him—according to the hand of Jehovah his God upon him—all his request. ⁷ And there go up of the sons of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. ⁸ And he cometh in to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that 'is in' the seventh year of the king, ⁹ for on the first of the month he hath founded the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he hath come in unto Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him, ¹⁰ for Ezra hath prepared his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do, and to teach in Israel statute and judgment.

¹¹ And this 'is' a copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commands of Jehovah, and of His statutes on Israel: ¹² 'Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, and at such a time: ¹³ By me hath been made a decree that every one who is willing, in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem with thee, doth go; ¹⁴ because that from the king and his seven counsellors thou art sent, to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem, with the law of God that 'is' in thy hand, ¹⁵ and to carry silver and gold that the king and his counsellors willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle 'is' in Jerusalem, ¹⁶ and all the silver and gold that thou findest in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offerings of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly, for the house of their God that 'is' in Jerusalem, ¹⁷ therefore thou dost speedily buy with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, and their presents, and their libations, and dost bring them near to the altar of the house of your God that 'is' in Jerusalem, ¹⁸ and that which to thee and to thy brethren is good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God ye do.' ¹⁹ 'And the vessels that are given to thee, for the service of the house of thy God, make perfect before the God of Jerusalem; ²⁰ and the rest of the needful things of the house of thy God, that it falleth to thee to give, thou dost give from the treasure-house of the king. ²¹ 'And by me—I Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who 'are' beyond the river, that all that Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, doth ask of you, be done speedily: ²² Unto silver a hundred talents, and unto wheat a hundred cors, and unto wine a hundred baths, and unto oil a hundred baths, and salt without reckoning; ²³ all that 'is' by the decree of the God of heaven, let be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven; for why is there wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons? ²⁴ 'And to you we are making known, that upon any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God, tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up. ²⁵ 'And thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God, that 'is' in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may be judges to all the people who are beyond the river, to all knowing the law of thy God, and he who hath not known ye cause to know; ²⁶ and any who doth not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, speedily is judgment done upon him, whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.'

²⁷ Blessed 'is' Jehovah, God of our fathers, who hath given such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of Jehovah that 'is' in Jerusalem, ²⁸ and unto me hath stretched out kindness before the king and his counsellors, and before all the mighty heads of the king: and I have strengthened myself as the hand of Jehovah my God 'is' upon me, and I gather out of Israel heads to go up with me.

8¹ And these 'are' heads of their fathers, and the genealogy of those going up with me, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king, from Babylon. ² From the sons of Phinehas: Gershom; from the sons of Ithamar: Daniel; from the sons of David: Hattush; ³ from the sons of Shechaniah, from the sons of Pharosh: Zechariah, and with him, reckoning themselves by genealogy, of males a hundred and fifty. ⁴ From the sons of Pahath-Moab: Elihoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred who are males. ⁵ From the sons of Shechaniah: the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred who are males. ⁶ And from the sons of Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him fifty who are males. ⁷ And from the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy who are males. ⁸ And from the sons of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty who are males. ⁹ From the sons of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen who are males. ¹⁰ And from the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and sixty who are males. ¹¹ And from the sons of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight who are males. ¹² And from the sons of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten who are males. ¹³ And from the younger sons of Adonikam—and these 'are' their names—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty who are males. ¹⁴ And from the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with them seventy who are males. ¹⁵ And I gather them unto the river that is going unto Ahava, and we encamp there three days; and I consider about the people, and about the priests, and of the sons of Levi I have found none there; ¹⁶ and I send for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, heads, and for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding; ¹⁷ and I charge them for Iddo the head, in the place Casiphia, and put in their mouth words to speak unto Iddo, 'and' his brethren the Nethinim, in the place Casiphia, to bring to us ministrants for the house of our God. ¹⁸ And they bring to us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and Sherebiah, and his sons, and his brethren, eighteen; ¹⁹ and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, his brethren, and their sons, twenty; ²⁰ and from the Nethinim, whom David and the heads gave for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim, all of them defined by name.

²¹ And I proclaim there a fast, by the river Ahava, to afflict ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a right way for us, and for our infants, and for all our substance, ²² for I was ashamed to ask from the king a force and horsemen to help us because of the enemy in the way, for we spake to the king, saying, 'The hand of our God 'is' upon all seeking Him for good, and His strength and His wrath 'is' upon all forsaking Him.' ²³ And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He is entreated of us.

²⁴ And I separate from the heads of the priests, twelve, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them of their brethren ten, ²⁵ and I weigh to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, a heave-offering of the house of our God, that the king, and his counsellors, and his heads, and all Israel—those present—lifted up; ²⁶ and I weigh to their hand, of silver, talents six hundred and fifty, and of vessels of silver a hundred talents, of gold a hundred talents, ²⁷ and basins of gold twenty, of a thousand drams, and two vessels of good shining brass, desirable as gold. ²⁸ And I say unto them, 'Ye 'are' holy to Jehovah, and the vessels 'are' holy, and the silver and the gold 'are' a willing-offering to Jehovah, God of your fathers; ²⁹ watch, and keep, till ye weigh before the heads of the priests, and of the Levites, and the heads of the fathers of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.' ³⁰ And the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver, and of the gold, and of the vessels, to bring to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

³¹ And we journey from the river Ahava, on the twelfth of the first month, to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God hath been upon us, and He delivereth us from the hand of the enemy and the lier in wait by the way; ³² and we come in to Jerusalem, and dwell there three days. ³³ And on the fourth day hath been weighed the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, in the house of our God, unto the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah the priest, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them Jozabad son of Jeshua, and Noadiah son of Binnui, the Levites: ³⁴ by number, by weight of every one, and all the weight is written at that time. ³⁵ Those coming in of the captives—sons of the removal—have brought near burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, bullocks twelve, for all Israel, rams ninety and six, lambs seventy and seven, young he-goats for a sin-offering twelve—the whole a burnt-offering to Jehovah; ³⁶ and they give the laws of the king to the lieutenants of the king and the governors beyond the river, and they have lifted up the people and the house of God.

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

21¹ After these things did Jesus manifest himself again to the disciples on the sea of Tiberias, and he did manifest himself thus: ² There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, and the 'sons' of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³ Simon Peter saith to them, 'I go away to fish;' they say to him, 'We go—we also—with thee;' they went forth and entered into the boat immediately, and on that night they caught nothing. ⁴ And morning being now come, Jesus stood at the shore, yet indeed the disciples did not know that it is Jesus; ⁵ Jesus, therefore, saith to them, 'Lads, have ye any meat?' ⁶ they answered him, 'No;' and he said to them, 'Cast the net at the right side of the boat, and ye shall find;' they cast, therefore, and no longer were they able to draw it, from the multitude of the fishes. ⁷ That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus was loving saith to Peter, 'The Lord it is!' Simon Peter, therefore, having heard that it is the Lord, did gird on the outer coat, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea; ⁸ and the other disciples came by the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but as it were about two hundred cubits off, dragging the net of the fishes; ⁹ when, therefore, they came to the land, they behold a fire of coals lying, and a fish lying on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus saith to them, 'Bring ye from the fishes that ye caught now;' ¹¹ Simon Peter went up, and drew the net up on the land, full of great fishes, an hundred fifty and three, and though they were so many, the net was not rent. ¹² Jesus saith to them, 'Come ye, dine;' and none of the disciples was venturing to inquire of him, 'Who art thou?' knowing that it is the Lord; ¹³ Jesus, therefore, doth come and take the bread and give to them, and the fish in like manner; ¹⁴ this 'is' now a third time Jesus was manifested to his disciples, having been raised from the dead.

Feed My Sheep

¹⁵ When, therefore, they dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 'Simon, 'son' of Jonas, dost thou love me more than these?' he saith to him, 'Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;' he saith to him, 'Feed my lambs.' ¹⁶ He saith to him again, a second time, 'Simon, 'son' of Jonas, dost thou love me?' he saith to him, 'Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;' he saith to him, 'Tend my sheep.' ¹⁷ He saith to him the third time, 'Simon, 'son' of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?' Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, 'Dost thou dearly love me?' and he said to him, 'Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.' Jesus saith to him, 'Feed my sheep; ¹⁸ verily, verily, I say to thee, When thou wast younger, thou wast girding thyself and wast walking whither thou didst will, but when thou mayest be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another will gird thee, and shall carry 'thee' whither thou dost not will;' ¹⁹ and this he said, signifying by what death he shall glorify God; and having said this, he saith to him, 'Be following me.'

The Beloved Disciple

²⁰ And Peter having turned about doth see the disciple whom Jesus was loving following, (who also reclined in the supper on his breast, and said, 'Sir, who is he who is delivering thee up?') ²¹ Peter having seen this one, saith to Jesus, 'Lord, and what of this one?' ²² Jesus saith to him, 'If him I will to remain till I come, what—to thee? be thou following me.' This word, therefore, went forth to the brethren that that disciple doth not die, ²³ yet Jesus did not say to him, that he doth not die, but, 'If him I will to remain till I come, what—to thee?' ²⁴ this is the disciple who is testifying concerning these things, and he wrote these things, and we have known that his testimony is true. ²⁵ And there are also many other things—as many as Jesus did—which, if they may be written one by one, not even the world itself I think to have place for the books written. Amen.