1After these acts in the reign of Arthaxerses king of Persia, there went up from Babilon, Esdras the son of Saraiah, the son of Asariah, the son of Helkiah,
2the son of Sellum, the son of Zadoc, the son of Ahitob,
3the son of Amariah, the son of Asariah, the son of Maraioth,
4the son of Zaraiah, the son of Uzi, the son of Boki,
5the son of Abisua, the son of Phinehes, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6This Esdras(which) was a quick scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel did give. And the king gave him all that he required, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
7And there went up certain of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and of the Levites, of the singers, of the porters, and of the Nethinims unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of king Arthaxerses.
8And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that is the seventh year of the king.
9For upon the first day of the first month devised he to go up from Babilon: and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of God upon him.
10For Esdras prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach the precept and judgement in Israel.
11And this is the copy(summe) of the letter, that king Arthaxerses gave unto Esdras the priest, the scribe, which was a teacher in the words of the LORD and of his statutes over Israel.
12Unto Esdras the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heaven, peace and salutation.
13I have commanded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites in my realm, which are minded of their own good will to go up to Jerusalem, that they go with thee,
14being sent of the king and of the seven lords of the counsel, to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God, which is in thy hand:
15And that thou shouldest take with thee, silver and gold, which the king and the lords of his counsel give of their own good will unto the God of Israel (whose habitation is at Jerusalem)
16and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the country of Babilon: with it that the people and priests give of their own good will unto the house of God at Jerusalem.
17Take thou the same, and buy diligently with the same money, calves, lambs, goats, and meat offerings and drink offerings, to be offered upon the altar of the house of your God at Jerusalem.
18And look what it liketh thee and thy brethren to do with the remnant of the money, that do after the will of your God.
19And the vessels that are given thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God at Jerusalem.
20And whatsoever thing more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which is necessary for thee to spend, let the same be given out of the king's chamber.
21I king Arthaxerses have commanded all the treasurers beyond the water, that look whatsoever Esdras the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heaven, requireth of you, that ye fulfill the same diligently,
22until an hundredth talents of silver, until(and till) an hundredth quarters of wheat, and until an hundredth baths of wine, and till an hundredth baths of oil, and salt without measure.
23Whatsoever belongeth to the law of the God of heaven, let the same be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, that there come no wrath upon the king's realm and his children.
24And known be it unto you, that ye shall have no authority to require taxing and custom, yearly rents upon any of the priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, and ministers in the house of this God.
25But thou Esdras, (after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand) set thou judges and arbiters, to judge all the people that is beyond the Jordan, even all such as know the law of thy God: and them that know it not, those see that ye teach.
26And whosoever will not diligently fulfill the law of thy God, and the king's law, shall have his judgment for the deed, whether it be unto death, or to be banished, or to be condemned in goods, or to be put in prison.
27Praised be the LORD God of our fathers, which so hath inspired the king's heart, to garnish the house of God at Jerusalem:
28and hath inclined his mercy unto me in the presence of the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's high estates. And I was comforted (according to the hand of the LORD my God over me) and so gathered I the heads of Israel together, that they might go up with me.