EZRA 1:1- 2:70
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18- 2:5
PSALM 27:7- 14
PROVERBS 20:22- 23
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecy by stirring the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation into writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:2 "This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem in the land of Judah. 3 All of you who are his people may return to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you! 4 Those who live in any place where Jewish survivors are found should contribute toward their expenses by supplying them with silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a freewill offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem." 5 Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the LORD. 6 And all their neighbors assisted by giving them vessels of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many choice gifts in addition to all the freewill offerings. 7 King Cyrus himself brought out the valuable items which King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his own gods. 8 Cyrus directed Mithredath, the treasurer of Persia, to count these items and present them to Sheshbazzar, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah. 9 These were the items Cyrus donated:gold trays 30 silver trays 1,000 silver censers 29 10 gold bowls 30 silver bowls 410 other items 1,00011 In all, 5,400 gold and silver items were turned over to Sheshbazzar to take back to Jerusalem when the exiles returned there from Babylon. 2:1 HERE is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity to Jerusalem and to the other towns of Judah. They had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:3 The family of Parosh 2,172 4 The family of Shephatiah 372 5 The family of Arah 775 6 The family of Pahath- moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) 2,812 7 The family of Elam 1,254 8 The family of Zattu 945 9 The family of Zaccai 760 10 The family of Bani 642 11 The family of Bebai 623 12 The family of Azgad 1,222 13 The family of Adonikam 666 14 The family of Bigvai 2,056 15 The family of Adin 454 16 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) 98 17 The family of Bezai 323 18 The family of Jorah 112 19 The family of Hashum 223 20 The family of Gibbar 95 21 The people of Bethlehem 123 22 The people of Netophah 56 23 The people of Anathoth 128 24 The people of Beth- azmaveth 42 25 The peoples of Kiriath- jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743 26 The peoples of Ramah and Geba 621 27 The people of Micmash 122 28 The peoples of Bethel and Ai 223 29 The citizens of Nebo 52 30 The citizens of Magbish 156 31 The citizens of Elam 1,254 32 The citizens of Harim 320 33 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 725 34 The citizens of Jericho 345 35 The citizens of Senaah 3,63036 These are the priests who returned from exile:The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) 973 37 The family of Immer 1,052 38 The family of Pashhur 1,247 39 The family of Harim 1,01740 These are the Levites who returned from exile:The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) 74 41 The singers of the family of Asaph 128 42 The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 139 43 The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim, 51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 Neziah, and Hatipha. 55 The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda, 56 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, 57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth- hazzebaim, and Ami. 58 In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392. 59 Another group returned to Jerusalem at this time from the towns of Tel- melah, Tel- harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel. 60 This group consisted of the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda-- a total of 652 people. 61 Three families of priests-- Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai-- also returned to Jerusalem. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.) 62 But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests. 63 The governor would not even let them eat the priests 'share of food from the sacrifices until there was a priest who could consult the LORD about the matter by means of sacred lots. 64 So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, 65 in addition to 7,337 servants and 200 singers, both men and women. 66 They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 68 When they arrived at the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders gave generously toward the rebuilding of God's Temple on its original site, 69 and each leader gave as much as he could. The total of their gifts came to 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 robes for the priests. 70 So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled in villages near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to the other towns of Judah from which they had come.
I [Paul] know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy human wisdom
and discard their most brilliant ideas."
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. 22 God's way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. 25 This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, 29 so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom. 31 As the Scriptures say, "The person who wishes to boast
should boast only of what the Lord has done."
2:1 DEAR brothers and sisters, *when I first came to you I didn't use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God's message. 2 For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. 3 I came to you in weakness-- timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you. 5 I did this so that you might trust the power of God rather than human wisdom.
Listen to my pleading, O LORD.
Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."
And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."
9 Do not hide yourself from me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD will hold me close.
11 Teach me how to live, O LORD.
Lead me along the path of honesty,
for my enemies are waiting for me to fall.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I've never done
and breathe out violence against me.
13 Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Don't say, "I will get even for this wrong." Wait for the LORD to handle the matter. The LORD despises double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18- 2:5
PSALM 27:7- 14
PROVERBS 20:22- 23
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecy by stirring the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation into writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:2 "This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem in the land of Judah. 3 All of you who are his people may return to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you! 4 Those who live in any place where Jewish survivors are found should contribute toward their expenses by supplying them with silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a freewill offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem." 5 Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the LORD. 6 And all their neighbors assisted by giving them vessels of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many choice gifts in addition to all the freewill offerings. 7 King Cyrus himself brought out the valuable items which King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his own gods. 8 Cyrus directed Mithredath, the treasurer of Persia, to count these items and present them to Sheshbazzar, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah. 9 These were the items Cyrus donated:gold trays 30 silver trays 1,000 silver censers 29 10 gold bowls 30 silver bowls 410 other items 1,00011 In all, 5,400 gold and silver items were turned over to Sheshbazzar to take back to Jerusalem when the exiles returned there from Babylon. 2:1 HERE is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity to Jerusalem and to the other towns of Judah. They had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:3 The family of Parosh 2,172 4 The family of Shephatiah 372 5 The family of Arah 775 6 The family of Pahath- moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) 2,812 7 The family of Elam 1,254 8 The family of Zattu 945 9 The family of Zaccai 760 10 The family of Bani 642 11 The family of Bebai 623 12 The family of Azgad 1,222 13 The family of Adonikam 666 14 The family of Bigvai 2,056 15 The family of Adin 454 16 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) 98 17 The family of Bezai 323 18 The family of Jorah 112 19 The family of Hashum 223 20 The family of Gibbar 95 21 The people of Bethlehem 123 22 The people of Netophah 56 23 The people of Anathoth 128 24 The people of Beth- azmaveth 42 25 The peoples of Kiriath- jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743 26 The peoples of Ramah and Geba 621 27 The people of Micmash 122 28 The peoples of Bethel and Ai 223 29 The citizens of Nebo 52 30 The citizens of Magbish 156 31 The citizens of Elam 1,254 32 The citizens of Harim 320 33 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 725 34 The citizens of Jericho 345 35 The citizens of Senaah 3,63036 These are the priests who returned from exile:The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) 973 37 The family of Immer 1,052 38 The family of Pashhur 1,247 39 The family of Harim 1,01740 These are the Levites who returned from exile:The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) 74 41 The singers of the family of Asaph 128 42 The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 139 43 The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim, 51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 Neziah, and Hatipha. 55 The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda, 56 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, 57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth- hazzebaim, and Ami. 58 In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392. 59 Another group returned to Jerusalem at this time from the towns of Tel- melah, Tel- harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel. 60 This group consisted of the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda-- a total of 652 people. 61 Three families of priests-- Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai-- also returned to Jerusalem. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.) 62 But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests. 63 The governor would not even let them eat the priests 'share of food from the sacrifices until there was a priest who could consult the LORD about the matter by means of sacred lots. 64 So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, 65 in addition to 7,337 servants and 200 singers, both men and women. 66 They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 68 When they arrived at the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders gave generously toward the rebuilding of God's Temple on its original site, 69 and each leader gave as much as he could. The total of their gifts came to 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 robes for the priests. 70 So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled in villages near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to the other towns of Judah from which they had come.
I [Paul] know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy human wisdom
and discard their most brilliant ideas."
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. 22 God's way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. 25 This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, 29 so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom. 31 As the Scriptures say, "The person who wishes to boast
should boast only of what the Lord has done."
2:1 DEAR brothers and sisters, *when I first came to you I didn't use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God's message. 2 For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. 3 I came to you in weakness-- timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you. 5 I did this so that you might trust the power of God rather than human wisdom.
Listen to my pleading, O LORD.
Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."
And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."
9 Do not hide yourself from me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD will hold me close.
11 Teach me how to live, O LORD.
Lead me along the path of honesty,
for my enemies are waiting for me to fall.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I've never done
and breathe out violence against me.
13 Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Don't say, "I will get even for this wrong." Wait for the LORD to handle the matter. The LORD despises double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales
