1After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes (son of Xerxes, and grandson of Darius I), king of Persia, Ezra, son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2Son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3Son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4Son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5Son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the chief priest; 6This (same) Ezra came from Babylon. He was a scribe and teacher, skilled in the law which the LORD God of Israel had given to Moses; and the king granted him all that he asked, because of the gracious hand of the LORD his God upon him. 7And some other Israelites - the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and the Nethinim (temple servants), also came to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8And Ezra arrived at Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 9He had started his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month; and on the first day of the fifth month, he arrived at Jerusalem, by the gracious hand of his God upon him. 10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek and obey the law of the LORD, and to teach God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest, scribe, and skilled teacher of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel: 12“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra, the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and so forth. 13I make a decree, that all the people of Israel, including priests and Levites, within my realm, who are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14You are sent by the king and his seven counselors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand; 15And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, Whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16And all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the Temple of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17That with this money, you may buy speedily bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem. 18And whatever seems good to you, and your brethren, that do with the rest of the silver and the gold, after the will of your God. 19And deliver the vessels before the God of Jerusalem, and those things that are given to you for the service of the Temple of your God. 20And whatever more is needed for the Temple of your God, which you shall have occasion to supply, supply it out of the king's treasure house. 21And I, Artaxerxes, the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra, the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, that it be done speedily, 22Up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of oil, and salt without specifying how much. 23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the Temple of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24We also inform you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or ministers of this Temple of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom (tax) upon them. 25And you, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God, that you possess, set magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the river, of those who know the laws of your God; and teach those that do not know them. 26And whoever will not obey the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be to death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”

27Praise be to the LORD God of our fathers, Who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the Temple of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, 28And Who has extended mercy unto me (Ezra) before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty leaders. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered out of Israel chief men to go up with me.