Ezra 6

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then, on the order of King Darius, search was made in the archives deposited in the treasuries inBabylon	1 Then king Darius instructed, and they searched in the library of books that were deposited in Babylon.
2 and a scrol was found in the fortress of Ecbatana, which ran as follows: 'Memorandum.	2 And there was found at Ecbatana, which is a fortified place in the province of Media, one volume, and this record was written in it:
3 'In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued this order: "Temple of God in Jerusalem. "The Templeis to be rebuilt as a place of offering sacrifice and its foundations retained. Its height is to be sixty cubits, its widthsixty cubits,	3 “In the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king decreed that the house of God, which is in Jerusalem, shall be built in the place where they immolate victims, and that they should set the foundations so as to support a height of sixty cubits and a width of sixty cubits,
4 with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. The cost is to be met by the royal treasury.	4 with three rows of rough stones, and so as to have rows of new timber, and that the expenses shall be given from the house of the king.
5 Furthermore, the gold and silver articles belonging to the Temple of God which Nebuchadnezzar tookfrom the Temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon are to be given back and returned to the temple inJerusalem, each to its proper place, and deposited in the Temple of God."	5 But also, let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of Jerusalem, and which he carried away to Babylon, be restored and be carried back to the temple of Jerusalem, to their place, just as they had been placed in the temple of God.
6 'Hence, Tattenai governor of Transeuphrates, Shethar-Bozenai and your associates, the officials ofTranseuphrates, keep away from there!	6 Now therefore, let Tattenai, the governor of the region which is beyond the river, Shetharbozenai, and your counselors, the rulers who are beyond the river, withdraw far away from them,
7 Leave the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews alone, to get on with their work on thatTemple of God; they are permitted to rebuild that Temple of God on that site.	7 and let this temple of God be released to the governor of the Jews and to their elders, so that they may build that house of God in its place.
8 And herewith are my instructions as to how you will assist these elders of the Jews in the rebuilding ofthat Temple of God: the cost is to be paid in ful to these men from the royal revenue, that is, from the taxes ofTranseuphrates, and without interruption.	8 Moreover, it has been instructed by me as to what ought to be done by those priests of the Jews, so that the house of God may be built, specifically, that from the king’s treasury, that is, from the tribute which is taken from the region beyond the river, the expenses shall be scrupulously given to those men, so that the work may not be impeded.
9 And whatever is required -- young bul s, rams, lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat,salt, wine, oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request -- is to be given them day by day without fail,	9 But if it may be necessary, let also calves, and lambs, and young goats for holocausts to the God of heaven, with grain, salt, wine, and oil, according to the rite of the priests who are in Jerusalem, be given to them for each day, so that there may be no complaint in anything.
10 so that they may offer sacrifices acceptable to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king andhis sons.	10 And let them offer oblations to the God of heaven, and let them pray for the life of the king and for the lives of his sons.
11 Furthermore I have issued an instruction that if anyone disobeys this order, a beam is to be torn fromhis house, he is to be impaled on it and his house is to be reduced to a rubbish-heap for his offence;	11 Therefore, the decree has been set forth by me, so that, if there be any man who will change this order, a beam shall be taken from his own house, and it shall be set up, and he shall be nailed to it. Then his house shall be confiscated.
12 and may the God who has caused his name to live there overthrow the king of any people who daresto defy this and destroy that Temple of God in Jerusalem! I, Darius, have issued this order. Let it be punctiliouslyobeyed!'	12 So then, may the God who has caused his name to live there destroy any kingdoms or people who would extend their hand to fight against or to destroy that house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have established the decree, which I wish to be fulfilled scrupulously.”
13 Tattenai governor of Transeuphrates, Shethar-Bozenai and their associates punctiliously obeyed theinstructions sent by King Darius;	13 Therefore, Tattenai, the governor of the region beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and his counselors, in accord with what king Darius had instructed, diligently executed the same.
14 and the elders of the Jews made good progress over their building, thanks to the prophetic activity ofthe prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, completing the reconstruction in accordance with the commandof the God of Israel and the order of Cyrus and of Darius.	14 Then the elders of the Jews were building and prospering, in accord with the prophecy of Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. And they built and constructed by the order of the God of Israel, and by the order of Cyrus and Darius, as well as Artaxerxes, the kings of the Persians.
15 This Temple was completed on the twenty-third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reignof King Darius.	15 And they completed this house of God on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.
16 The Israelites -- the priests, the Levites and the remainder of the exiles -- joyful y celebrated thededication of this Temple of God;	16 Then the sons of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the remainder of the sons of the transmigration celebrated the dedication of the house of God with gladness.
17 for the dedication of this Temple of God they offered one hundred bul s, two hundred rams, fourhundred lambs and, as a sin offering for al Israel, twelve he-goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes ofIsrael.	17 And they offered, for the dedication of the house of God, one hundred calves, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and, as a sin offering for all of Israel, twelve he-goats from among the goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 Then they installed the priests in their orders and the Levites in their positions for the ministry of theTemple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses.	18 And they appointed the priests into their divisions, and the Levites into their turns, over the works of God in Jerusalem, just as it was written in the book of Moses.
19 The exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.	19 Then the sons of Israel of the transmigration kept the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 The Levites, as one man, had purified themselves; al were pure, so they sacrificed the Passover for althe exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves.	20 For the priests and Levites had been purified as one. All were cleansed in order to immolate the Passover for all the sons of the transmigration, and for their brothers, the priests, and for themselves.
21 So the Israelites who had returned from exile and al those who had renounced the filthy practices ofthe people of the country to join them in resorting to Yahweh, God of Israel, ate the Passover.	21 And the sons of Israel, who had been returned from the transmigration, and all those who had separated themselves from the defilement of the Gentiles of the earth to them, so that they might seek the Lord, the God of Israel, ate
22 For seven days they joyful y celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread, for Yahweh had given themcause to rejoice, having moved the heart of the king of Assyria in their favour to support them in their work on theTemple of God, the God of Israel.	22 and kept the solemnity of unleavened bread for seven days with joy. For the Lord had made them joyful, and he had converted the heart of the king of Assur to them, so that he would assist their hands in the work of the house of the Lord, the God of Israel.