1 Ezra 4:43-5:45
43 Then Zerubbabel said to the king, “Remember the vow you swore on the day you received your kingdom to rebuild Jerusalem 44 and to send back all the vessels taken from Jerusalem, the ones Cyrus removed when he vowed to destroy Babylon and vowed to send them back there? 45 You also vowed to rebuild the temple which the Edomites set on fire when Judea was laid waste by the Chaldeans. 46 Now this is what I consider worthy of you, O lord our king, and what I ask of you, for this befits your greatness. Therefore I beg of you that you keep the vow you vowed to the King of heaven from your own mouth.”
47 Then King Darius arose and kissed him. He wrote letters for him to all the treasurers, governors, commanders, and satraps that they help him on his way, and everyone going up with him to rebuild Jerusalem. 48 He also wrote letters to all the governors in Coelesyria and Phoenicia, and to those in Lebanon to transfer cedar logs from Lebanon to Jerusalem to help him rebuild the city.
49 Then he wrote to all the Jews who went up from his kingdom to Judea in behalf of their freedom, that no power, satrap, commander, or treasurer was to come against their doors; 50 that all the territory they ruled was to be theirs without subjection to taxes; that the Edomites were to hand over to the Jews the villages they had seized; 51 that twenty talents were to be given every year for the building of the temple until it was completed, 52 and ten talents every year for the whole burnt offerings to be offered each day on the altar according to the commandment to make seventeen offerings; 53 and that all those from Babylon who went up to build the city were to have their freedom, the people and their children, and all the priests who went up with them. 54 He also wrote that they were to pay the expenses for the priestly vestments in which they served. 55 He likewise wrote that they were to pay the Levites’ expenses until the temple was completed and Jerusalem rebuilt. 56 Also, for all who guarded the city, he wrote that they were to be given lands and wages. 57 Then he sent forth from Babylon all the vessels Cyrus had removed; and everything Cyrus said to do, he also commanded to be done, and he sent them forth to Jerusalem.
58 Now when the young man went out, he lifted his face to heaven toward Jerusalem and blessed the King of heaven, saying, 59 “The victory and the wisdom are from You, the glory is Yours, and I am Your servant. 60 Blessed are You who granted me wisdom, and I give thanks to You, O Lord of our fathers.”
61 So he took the letters and went to Babylon, and reported everything to all his brothers. 62 They, too, blessed the God of their fathers because He had granted them freedom and release from captivity 63 to go up and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple called by His name. Then they feasted with music and gladness for seven days.
Return of the Exiles
1 After this the heads of the paternal houses were chosen according to their tribes to go up, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, and their male and female servants, and their cattle. 2 Darius also sent along one thousand cavalry with them, to bring them back to Jerusalem in peace and with the music of drums and flutes. 3 All their kindred were dancing, for Darius arranged for them to go up with them as well.
4 These are the names of the men who were their governors and who went up according to their paternal houses in the tribes: 5 the priests, the sons of Phinehas the son of Aaron; Jeshua the son of Jozadak the son of Seraiah, and Joakim the son of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, of the house of David, from the family of Phares, of the tribe of Judah. 6 Zerubbabel was the one who spoke wise words before Darius the king of the Persians in the second year of his reign, in the month of Nisan, the first month. 7 They are the ones from Judea who went up from their sojourn in captivity and whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon resettled in Babylon. 8 They returned to Jerusalem and the rest of Judea, each to his own city. They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Hehum, and Baanah, their leaders.
9 The number of those from the nation, including their leaders, were: the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two; 10 the sons of Shephatiah, four hundred seventy-two; the sons of Arah, seven hundred fifty-six; 11 the sons of Pahath-Moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred twelve; 12 the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four; the sons of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five; the sons of Chorbe, seven hundred five; the sons of Bani, six hundred forty-eight; 13 the sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty-three; the sons of Azgad, one thousand three hundred twenty-two; 14 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven; the sons of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-six; the sons of Adin, four hundred fifty-four; 15 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-two; the sons of Kilan and Azetas, sixty-seven; the sons of Azaru, four hundred thirty-two; 16 the sons of Annias, one hundred one; the sons of Arom and the sons of Bezai, three hundred twenty-three; the sons of Hariph, one hundred twelve; 17 the sons of Baiterus, three thousand five; the sons of Bethlomon, one hundred twenty-three.
18 Those from Netophah were fifty-five; those from Anathoth, one hundred fifty-eight; those from Beth Azmaveth, forty-two; 19 those from Kirjath Jearim, twenty-five; those from Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three; 20 the Chadiasans and Ammidians, four hundred twenty-two; those from Kirama and Geba, six hundred twenty-one; 21 those from Macalon, one hundred twenty-two; those from Betolio, fifty-two; the sons of Nephish, one hundred fifty-six; 22 the sons of the other Calamolalus and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five; the sons of Jerechus, three hundred forty-five; 23 the sons of Senaah, three thousand three hundred thirty.
24 The number of the priests were: the sons of Jedaiah the son of Jeshua, of the sons of Anasib, nine hundred seventy-two; the sons of Immer, one thousand fifty-two; 25 the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven; the sons of Charme, one thousand seventeen.
26 The Levites: the sons of Joshua and Kadmiel and Bannas and Sudias, seventy-four. 27 The number of the temple singers were: the sons of Asaph, one hundred twenty-eight. 28 The number of the gatekeepers were: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all one hundred thirty-nine.
29 The number of the temple servants were: the sons of Esau, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Sua, the sons of Padon, the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, 30 the sons of Akkub, the sons of Uthai, the sons of Ketab, the sons of Hagab, the sons of Subai, the sons of Hana, the sons of Cathua, the sons of Geddur, 31 the sons of Jairus, the sons of Daisan, the sons of Noeba, the sons of Chezib, the sons of Gazera, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Phinoe, the sons of Hasrah, the sons of Basthai, the sons of Asnah, the sons of Maani, the sons of Nephisim, the sons of Acuph, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Asur, the sons of Pharakim, the sons of Bazluth, 32 the sons of Mehida, the sons of Cutha, the sons of Charea, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Serar, the sons of Temah, the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
33 The sons of the servants of Solomon: the sons of Assaphioth, the sons of Peruda, the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Lozon, the sons of Isdael, the sons of Shephatiah, 34 the sons of Agia, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Sarothie, the sons of Masiah, the sons of Gas, the sons of Addus, the sons of Subas, the sons of Apherra, the sons of Barodis, the sons of Shaphat, the sons of Allon. 35 All the temple servants and the sons of the servants of Solomon were three hundred seventy-two.
36 Those who come up from Thermeleth and Thelersas, led by Charaath, Adan and Amar, 37 were unable to tell of their lineage and generation as to how they were from Israel. They were the sons of Delaiah the son of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, and their number was six hundred fifty-two.
38 The priests who laid claim to the priesthood but were not found in the register were: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Jaddus, who married Agia, one of the daughters of Barzillai, and was called by his name. 39 So when a search into the lineage of these men was made in the register, and nothing was found, they were removed from the list to perform priestly service. 40 Nehemiah and Attharias said they were not to partake in the holy things until a high priest arose wearing the Urim and the Thummim.
41 All those from Israel from twelve years of age and older, apart from the male and female servants, were forty-two thousand three hundred sixty. Their male and female servants were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven. Cantors and musicians were two hundred forty-five. 42 There were four hundred thirty-five camels, seven thousand thirty-six horses, two hundred forty-five mules, and five thousand five hundred twenty-five donkeys.
43 Some of the heads of the paternal houses in Israel arrived at the temple of God in Jerusalem and vowed to the best of their ability to rebuild the house on its site, 44 and to give to the temple treasury for its works: one thousand minas of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly vestments. 45 The priests, the Levites, and some of the people decided to live in Jerusalem, while the temple singers and doorkeepers settled in the countryside with all Israel in their villages.
Psalm 134:1–12
1 Alleluia.
Praise the name of the Lord,
O you servants; praise the Lord,
2 You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing to His name, for it is good;
4 For the Lord chose Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
5 For I know the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all the gods.
6 All things whatsoever the Lord willed, He did,
In heaven and on the earth,
In the seas and in all deep places,
7 Bringing clouds from the furthest part of the earth;
He made lightning for the rain,
Bringing winds from His storehouses.
8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt,
From man to cattle;
9 He sent forth signs and wonders in your midst, O Egypt,
Among Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He struck many nations
And destroyed mighty kings,
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
And Og king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He gave their land as an inheritance,
An inheritance for Israel His people.
Proverbs 28:26–30
26 He who casts off his father or mother and thinks he does not sin,
He is the accomplice of an ungodly man.
27 A greedy man judges rashly,
But he who trusts in the Lord shall be careful.
28 He who trusts in an arrogant heart, such a man is without discernment,
But he who walks in wisdom, such a man shall be saved.
29 He who gives to the poor shall not be in want,
But he who turns away his eye from them shall be in much distress.
30 The righteous lament in the places of the ungodly,
But in their destruction the righteous shall be increased.
John 20
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.
4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.
12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
The Apostles Commissioned
(Luke 24:36–43; 1 Cor. 15:5)
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Seeing and Believing
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
That You May Believe
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.