1After these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
5son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest—
6this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was an expert scribe in the Law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him all his requests, because Yahweh his God was helping him.
7Some of the people of Israel, including some priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants, went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king’s reign.
9He began his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, because his God was helping him.
10Ezra had committed himself to studying the law of Yahweh, to obeying it, and to teaching its statutes and judgments in Israel.
11This is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, the expert in the words of Yahweh’s commands and His statutes for Israel:
12Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the perfect God of heaven: Greetings.
13I issue a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel, including their priests and Levites, who willingly wants to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
14You are being sent by the king and his seven advisors to investigate Judah and Jerusalem, based on the law of your God which you hold.
15You are also to take the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely given to the God of Israel, whose home is in Jerusalem.
16And take all the silver and gold you find throughout the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offerings from the people and the priests, which they willingly give for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
17Therefore, you must use this money carefully to buy bulls, rams, and lambs, along with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and then offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
18You and your brothers may do whatever you think is best with the remaining silver and gold, as long as it is in line with the will of your God.
19The items that have been given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver them before the God of Jerusalem.
20If anything else is needed for the house of your God, and you have to provide it, you may take it from the king’s treasury.
21I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all treasurers in the region beyond the Euphrates River: Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven, asks of you, it must be provided immediately,
22up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 600 bushels of wheat, 600 gallons of wine, 600 gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited amount of salt.
23Whatever the God of heaven commands must be done precisely for the house of the God of heaven. Why should God be angry with the kingdom of the king and his sons?
24We also inform you that it is illegal to demand taxes, customs, or tolls from any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or workers of this house of God.
25Ezra, using the wisdom your God has given you, appoint magistrates and judges to govern all the people in the region beyond the Euphrates River who know the laws of your God. And you must teach those who do not know them.
26Anyone who does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must be punished swiftly, whether by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
27Praise Yahweh, the God of our ancestors! He put it in the king’s heart to make Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem beautiful.
28He also showed me kindness in the presence of the king, his advisors, and all his powerful officials. Yahweh my God was helping me, so I gained strength and gathered leaders from Israel to go with me.