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Ezra 1-2
The Decree of Cyrus
1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:
2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: "The Lord, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Any of his people among you, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Let every survivor, wherever he resides, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem."
Return from Exile
5 So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had roused—prepared to go up and rebuild the Lord's house in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors supported them with silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering. 7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the Lord's house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under the supervision of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 This was the inventory:
30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins,
29 silver knives, 10 30 gold bowls,
410 various silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles.
11 The gold and silver articles totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The Exiles Who Returned
2 These now are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported to Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included
| 3 Parosh's descendants | 2,172 |
| 4 Shephatiah's descendants | 372 |
| 5 Arah's descendants | 775 |
| 6 Pahath-moab's descendants: |
| Jeshua's and Joab's descendants | 2,812 |
| 7 Elam's descendants | 1,254 |
| 8 Zattu's descendants | 945 |
| 9 Zaccai's descendants | 760 |
| 10 Bani's descendants | 642 |
| 11 Bebai's descendants | 623 |
| 12 Azgad's descendants | 1,222 |
| 13 Adonikam's descendants | 666 |
| 14 Bigvai's descendants | 2,056 |
| 15 Adin's descendants | 454 |
| 16 Ater's descendants: of Hezekiah | 98 |
| 17 Bezai's descendants | 323 |
| 18 Jorah's descendants | 112 |
| 19 Hashum's descendants | 223 |
| 20 Gibbar's descendants | 95 |
| 21 Bethlehem's people | 123 |
| 22 Netophah's men | 56 |
| 23 Anathoth's men | 128 |
| 24 Azmaveth's people | 42 |
| 25 Kiriatharim's, Chephirah's, and Beeroth's people | 743 |
| 26 Ramah's and Geba's people | 621 |
| 27 Michmas's men | 122 |
| 28 Bethel's and Ai's men | 223 |
| 29 Nebo's people | 52 |
| 30 Magbish's people | 156 |
| 31 the other Elam's people | 1,254 |
| 32 Harim's people | 320 |
| 33 Lod's, Hadid's, and Ono's people | 725 |
| 34 Jericho's people | 345 |
| 35 Senaah's people | 3,630 |
36 The priests included
| Jedaiah's descendants of the house of Jeshua | 973 |
| 37 Immer's descendants | 1,052 |
| 38 Pashhur's descendants | 1,247 |
| 39 and Harim's descendants | 1,017 |
40 The Levites included
| Jeshua's and Kadmiel's descendants |
| from Hodaviah's descendants | 74 |
41 The singers included
42 The gatekeepers' descendants included
| Shallum's descendants, Ater's descendants, |
| Talmon's descendants, Akkub's descendants, |
| Hatita's descendants, Shobai's descendants, in all | 139 |
43 The temple servants included
Ziha's descendants, Hasupha's descendants,
Tabbaoth's descendants, 44 Keros's descendants,
Siaha's descendants, Padon's descendants,
45 Lebanah's descendants, Hagabah's descendants,
Akkub's descendants, 46 Hagab's descendants,
Shalmai's descendants, Hanan's descendants,
47 Giddel's descendants, Gahar's descendants,
Reaiah's descendants, 48 Rezin's descendants,
Nekoda's descendants, Gazzam's descendants,
49 Uzza's descendants, Paseah's descendants,
Besai's descendants, 50 Asnah's descendants,
Meunim's descendants, Nephusim's descendants,
51 Bakbuk's descendants, Hakupha's descendants,
Harhur's descendants, 52 Bazluth's descendants,
Mehida's descendants, Harsha's descendants,
53 Barkos's descendants, Sisera's descendants,
Temah's descendants, 54 Neziah's descendants,
and Hatipha's descendants.
55 The descendants of Solomon's servants included
| Sotai's descendants, Hassophereth's descendants, |
| Peruda's descendants, 56 Jaalah's descendants, |
| Darkon's descendants, Giddel's descendants, |
| 57 Shephatiah's descendants, Hattil's descendants, |
| Pochereth-hazzebaim's descendants, and Ami's descendants. |
| 58 All the temple servants |
| and the descendants of Solomon's servants | 392. |
59 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their ancestral families and their lineage were Israelite:
| 60 Delaiah's descendants, |
| Tobiah's descendants, |
| Nekoda's descendants | 652 |
61 and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name. 62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
| 64 The whole combined assembly numbered | 42,360 |
| 65 not including their 7,337 male and female servants, |
| and their 200 male and female singers. |
| 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, |
| 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. |
Gifts for the Work
68 After they arrived at the Lord's house in Jerusalem, some of the family heads gave freewill offerings for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its original site. 69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasury for the project. 70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some of the people settled in their towns, and the rest of Israel settled in their towns.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB) The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved. 19 For it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent.
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn't God made the world's wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. 24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, 25 because God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
Boasting Only in the Lord
26 Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one may boast in his presence. 30 It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption— 31 in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
Paul's Proclamation
2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2 I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God's power.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB) The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Psalm 27:7-14
7 Lord, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you:
"Seek his face."
Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper;
do not leave me or abandon me,
God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord cares for me.
11 Because of my adversaries,
show me your way, Lord,
and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.
13 I am certain that I will see the Lord's goodness
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Wait for the Lord.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB) The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Proverbs 20:22-23
22 Don't say, "I will avenge this evil!"
Wait on the Lord, and he will rescue you.
23 Differing weights are detestable to the Lord,
and dishonest scales are unfair.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB) The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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