One Year Bible

Ezra 7:1-8:20

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

1 Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— 6this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given.

The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. 7So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.

8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 9He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the Lord to Israel:

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings.

To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.

13 I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem. 14You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.

15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

19 You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. 20And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.

21 I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly, 22up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. 23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons? 24And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates — all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them. 26If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

Ezra Blesses God

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, 28and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials.

And because the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.

The Exiles Who Returned with Ezra

1 These are the family heads and genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

2 from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;

from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;

from the descendants of David, Hattush 3of the descendants of Shecaniah;

from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;

4 from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

5 from the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

6 from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

7 from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

8 from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

9 from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;

10 from the descendants of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

11 from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;

12 from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;

13 from the later descendants of Adonikam, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

14 and from the descendants of Bigvai, both Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.

Ezra Sends for the Levites

15 Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.

16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

18 And since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah— a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel— along with his sons and brothers, 18 men; 19also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. 20They also brought 220 of the temple servants, all designated by name. David and the officials had appointed them to assist the Levites.

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Servants of Christ

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

3 I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another. 7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

8 Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you! 9For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession , like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. 11To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

Psalm 30:1-12

You Turned My Mourning into Dancing

1 A Psalm. A song for the dedication of the temple. Of David.

I will exalt You, O LORD,

for You have lifted me up

and have not allowed my foes

to rejoice over me.

2 O LORD my God, I cried to You for help,

and You healed me.

3 O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol;

You spared me from descending into the Pit.

4 Sing to the Lord, O you His saints,

and praise His holy name.

5 For His anger is fleeting,

but His favor lasts a lifetime.

Weeping may stay the night,

but joy comes in the morning.

6 In prosperity I said,

“I will never be shaken.”

7 O LORD, You favored me;

You made my mountain stand strong.

When You hid Your face,

I was dismayed.

8 To You, O LORD, I called,

and I begged my Lord for mercy:

9“What gain is there in my bloodshed,

in my descent to the Pit?

Will the dust praise You?

Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

10 Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy;

O LORD, be my helper.”

11 You turned my mourning into dancing;

You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

Proverbs 20:28-30

28 Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king;

by these he maintains his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

and gray hair is the splendor of the old.

30 Lashes and wounds scour evil,

and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.

sozo church

One Year Bible

Ezra 7:1-8:20

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Psalm 30:1-12

Proverbs 20:28-30