Ezra 6

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

King Darius issued an order, and a thorough search began in the scroll house, where Babylon's treasures were stored.

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

In the royal palace of Achmetha, in the land of the Medes, they discovered a scroll. It contained a written record that read as follows:

In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

In the inaugural year of King Cyrus, he issued a heartfelt decree about God's house in Jerusalem. He passionately commanded, "Let's rebuild this sacred place of sacrifice, ensuring its foundations are solid. Let it stand tall and wide, sixty cubits in both dimensions."

With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:

With three layers of mighty stones and a layer of fresh timber, let the costs be covered by the king's treasury.

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

May the sacred gold and silver treasures, stolen by Nebuchadnezzar from God's temple in Jerusalem and taken to Babylon, be returned. Let each piece be lovingly restored to its rightful place in Jerusalem's temple, in the heart of God's house.

Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

Tatnai, governor across the river, Shetharboznai, and your allies, the Apharsachites, who also live across the river, please keep your distance.

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

Allow God's house to stand undisturbed; let the Jewish leaders and elders construct this sacred place in peace.

Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

I hereby command: Assist the Jewish elders in building God's house. Use the king's resources and the taxes from across the river to support them immediately. Let nothing stand in their way.

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

Provide them daily, without fail, with all they need - young bulls, rams, and lambs for God's heavenly sacrifices, along with wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as directed by the priests in Jerusalem.

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

May they present heartfelt offerings to the God above, and earnestly pray for the king and his sons' wellbeing.

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

I've declared that anyone who dares to change these words will have a beam pulled from their own house and set upright, and they will be hanged on it, and their house will be reduced to a heap of rubble for this.

And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

The God who calls this place home will obliterate any king or person who dares to change or destroy His sacred house in Jerusalem. I, Darius, command this to be done swiftly.

Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

Tatnai, the governor, Shetharboznai, and their allies, acted swiftly and obediently, following the orders sent by King Darius.

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

The Jewish elders, filled with determination, built and thrived, guided by the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah. They completed their task, obedient to God's command and the orders of Persian Kings Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

The house was finally completed on the third day of Adar, during King Darius's sixth year of rule. The joy and relief were palpable.

And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, along with others who had been in captivity, celebrated the dedication of God's house with pure joy and happiness.

And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

In the sacred dedication of God's house, they gave a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs. And to seek forgiveness for all of Israel, they offered twelve goats, one for each of Israel's tribes.

And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

The priests and Levites were organized into groups, each with their own duties in serving God in Jerusalem, just as Moses had written.

And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

The returned exiles, filled with hope and reverence, observed Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

The priests and Levites had all purified themselves and were clean, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.

And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

The children of Israel, having returned from their harsh captivity, along with those who had chosen to leave the corruption of the land's heathens to seek the Lord God of Israel, shared a meal together.

And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

They joyfully celebrated the seven-day feast of unleavened bread, for God had filled their hearts with happiness. He had even swayed the king of Assyria to support them, giving them strength to work on God's house, the God of Israel.