1 这些事以后， 波斯王亚达薛西在位的时候， 有位以斯拉， 是西莱雅的儿子， 西莱雅是亚撒利雅的儿子， 亚撒利雅是希勒家的儿子， 2 希勒家是沙龙的儿子， 沙龙是撒督的儿子， 撒督是亚希突的儿子， 3 亚希突是亚玛利雅的儿子， 亚玛利雅是亚撒利雅的儿子， 亚撒利雅是米拉约的儿子， 4 米拉约是西拉希雅的儿子， 西拉希雅是乌西的儿子， 乌西是布基的儿子， 5 布基是亚比书的儿子， 亚比书是非尼哈的儿子， 非尼哈是以利亚撒的儿子， 以利亚撒是大祭司亚伦的儿子。 6 这位以斯拉是一位经学家， 精通耶和华以色列的 神赐给摩西的律法； 因为耶和华他 神的手帮助他， 所以王赐他所求的一切， 他就从巴比伦上来。 7 在亚达薛西王第七年， 一些以色列人和一些祭司、利未人、歌唱的、守门的和作殿役的， 和他一起上耶路撒冷去。 8 王第七年五月来到耶路撒冷。 9 正月初一， 以斯拉开始从巴比伦上来； 五月初一来到耶路撒冷， 他 神施恩的手帮助他， 10 因为以斯拉专心寻求研究耶和华的律法， 并且遵行， 在以色列中教导律例和典章。 11 亚达薛西王颁发谕旨给以斯拉； 以斯拉是一位祭司和经学家， 精通耶和华的诫命和赐给以色列之律例； 谕旨内容是这样： 12 "诸王之王亚达薛西赐谕旨给以斯拉祭司， 精通天上 神律法的经学家， 愿你平安。 13 现在我下令： 住在我国中的以色列人中， 愿意上到耶路撒冷去的祭司和利未人， 他们都可以与你同去。 14 你既然是王和他七位顾问所派去的， 就要照着你手中 神的律法书， 查察犹大和耶路撒冷的情况。 15 你要把王和他顾问甘心献的金银带去， 奉献给住在耶路撒冷之以色列的 神； 16 也要带着你在巴比伦全省所得的金银， 连同人民和祭司甘心乐意献给在耶路撒冷 神的殿的礼物， 17 使你可以用这些银子审慎地购买公牛、公绵羊、绵羊羔， 以及与祭牲同献的素祭和奠祭， 献在耶路撒冷你们 神的殿的祭坛上。 18 剩余的金银， 你和你的族人看怎么办好， 就怎么用； 只要照着你们 神的旨意去作就是了。 19 至于交给你为你 神殿中事奉用的器皿， 你要放在耶路撒冷的 神面前。 20 如果你需要支付你 神的殿其余的费用， 你可以从王的库房里支付。 21 我亚达薛西王下令给在河西那边所有的库官： 无论以斯拉祭司， 这位精通天上 神律法的经学家， 向你们要求什么， 你们都要审慎照办。 22 他可以要银子三千四百公斤， 麦子一百公斤， 酒二千二百公升， 油二千二百公升， 盐却不受限制。 23 天上的 神命令的， 就要为天上 神的殿热心去作， 免得忿怒临到王和王的子孙的国。 24 我要你们知道， 凡是祭司、利未人、歌唱的、守门的， 作殿役的和在这 神的殿里作仆人的， 都不可以向他们征收税款、贡物和粮食。 25 至于你以斯拉， 你要照着你手中 神的智慧书， 委任法官和官吏， 治理在河西那边所有明白你 神的律法的人民， 那些不晓得律法的人， 你要教导他们。 26 不遵守你 神的律法和王的律法的， 就要审慎地判决处分， 或是处死、或是放逐、或是没收家产、或是囚禁。" 27 以斯拉说： "耶和华我们列祖的 神是应该称颂的， 因为他把这样的意念放在君王的心里， 使他修饰那在耶路撒冷的耶和华的殿； 28 又使我在王和谋士， 以及王手下有权势的领袖面前蒙恩。因为耶和华我 神的手帮助我， 我就有勇气， 召集以色列中一些首领， 与我一同上来。"

1 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.