| 1:1 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--this fulfilled the Message of GOD preached by Jeremiah--GOD prodded Cyrus king of Persia to make an official announcement throughout his kingdom. He wrote it out as follows: |
| 1:2 | From Cyrus king of Persia, a Proclamation: GOD, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has also assigned me to build him a Temple of worship in Jerusalem, Judah. |
| 1:3 | Who among you belongs to his people? GOD be with you! Go to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build The Temple of GOD, the God of Israel, Jerusalem's God. |
| 1:4 | Those who stay behind, wherever they happen to live, will support them with silver, gold, tools, and pack animals, along with Freewill-Offerings for The Temple of God in Jerusalem. |
| 1:5 | The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites--everyone, in fact, God prodded--set out to build The Temple of GOD in Jerusalem. |
| 1:6 | Their neighbors rallied behind them enthusiastically with silver, gold, tools, pack animals, expensive gifts, and, over and above these, Freewill-Offerings. |
| 1:7 | Also, King Cyrus turned over to them all the vessels and utensils from The Temple of GOD that Nebuchadnezzar had hauled from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods. |
| 1:8 | Cyrus king of Persia put Mithredath the treasurer in charge of the transfer; he provided a full inventory for Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah, including the following: |
| 1:9 | 30 gold dishes 1,000 silver dishes |
| 1:10 | 29 silver pans 30 gold bowls 410 duplicate silver bowls 1,000 miscellaneous items. |
| 1:11 | All told, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles that Sheshbazzar took with him when he brought the exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem. |
Ezra 1 - The Message Bible
