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3 And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in their cities, the people assembled themselves as one man to Jerusalem.
2 Then Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, stood up and built the Altar of the God of Israel, to offer Burnt Offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
3 And they set the Altar upon its bases (for fear was among them because of the people of those countries). Therefore, they offered Burnt Offerings to the LORD on it, Burnt Offerings in the morning and at evening.
4 They also kept the Feast of the Tabernacles, as it is written, and a daily Burnt Offering, by number, according to the custom, day by day,
5 and afterward, the continual Burnt Offering, both in the new months and on all the Feast days that were consecrated to the LORD, and in all the oblations willingly offered to the LORD.
6 From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer Burnt Offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the Temple of the LORD was not laid.
7 They also gave money to the masons, and to the workmen, and food and drink, and oil to those of Zidon and of Tyre, to bring them cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea, to Japho, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus, king of Persia.
8 And in the second year of their coming to the House of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests, and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and above, began to set forward the work of the House of the LORD.
9 And Jeshua stood with his sons, and his brethren, and Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah together, to set forward the workmen in the House of God, and the sons of Henadad, with their sons, and their brethren the Levites.
10 And after the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the LORD, they appointed the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the Ordinance of David, king of Israel.
11 Thus they sang to the LORD, when they gave praise and when they gave thanks: “For He is good! For His mercy endures forever toward Israel!” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the House of the LORD had been laid.
12 Also, many of the priests and the Levites and the chief of the fathers, ancient men who had seen the first House, (when the foundation of this House was laid before their eyes) wept with a loud voice. And many shouted aloud for joy,
13 so that the people could not discern the sound of the shout for joy from the noise of the weeping of the people. For the people shouted with a loud cry. And the noise was heard far away.
4 Now the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the Temple to the LORD God of Israel.
2 And they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief fathers, and said to them, “We will build with you. For we seek the LORD your God like you; and we have sacrificed to Him since the time of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”
3 Then Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, “It is not for you but for us to build the House to our God. For we ourselves together will build it to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”
4 Therefore, the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.
5 And they hired counselors against them to hinder their plans all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus (in the beginning of his reign) they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of Artachshashta, when it was peace, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. And the writing of the letter was in the Aramites’ writing. And the thing declared was in the language of the Aramites.
8 Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter of this type to Artaxerxes the king, against Jerusalem.
9 Then, Rehum the chancellor wrote, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions Dinai and Apharsathcai, Tarpelai, Persia, Archevai, Bablai, Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai,
10 and the rest of the people whom the great and noble Osnapper brought over and set in the cities of Samaria, and others who are beyond the River and Cheeneth.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to King Artaxerxes, “THY SERVANTS, the men beyond the River and Cheeneth:
12 “Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem (a rebellious and wicked city). And they build and lay the foundations of the walls and have joined the foundations.
13 “Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the foundations of the walls laid, they will give neither toll, tribute nor custom. So shall they hinder the king’s tribute.
14 “Now therefore, since we have been brought up in the palace, it was not right for us to see the king’s dishonor. For this reason, we have sent and informed the king,
15 “so that one may search in the Book of the Chronicles of your fathers, and you shall find in the Book of the Chronicles and perceive that this city is rebellious and noisome to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition in former times, for which reason this city was destroyed.
16 “We inform the king that if this city is built, and the foundation of the walls laid, by this means the portion beyond the River shall not be yours.”
17 The king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and to the rest of their companions who dwelt in Samaria, and to the others beyond the River (Shelam and Cheeth).
18 “The letter which you sent to us has been openly read before me.
19 “And I have commanded, and they have searched, and found, that this city has made insurrection against kings in former times and has rebelled. And rebellion has been committed in it.
20 “Also, there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the River. And toll, tribute and custom were given to them.
21 “Now make a decree that those men may cease, and that the city not be built until I have given commandment.
22 “Be careful now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage grow to hurt the king?”
23 When the copy of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and made them cease by force and power.
6 Rather, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, which come to nothing,
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, having been hidden, which God predetermined to our glory before the world,
8 and which none of the princes of this world have known. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.
9 But as it is written, ‘The things which neither eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor have come into man’s heart, are those which God has prepared for those who love Him.’
10 But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of a man, which is in him? So also, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit, Who is from God, that we might know the things that are given to us from God,
13 of which things we also speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but those which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.
14 But the natural man does not perceive the things of the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he who is spiritual, discerns all things. Yet, he himself is judged by no one.
16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he might instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
3 And I could not speak to you, brothers, as to spiritual men, but as to carnal, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, and not solid food. For you were not yet able to bear it, nor are you able even now.
3 For you are still fleshly, since there is among you envying and strife and divisions. Are you not still carnal, and walking as man?
4 For when one says, ‘I am Paul’s’, and another, ‘I am Apollos’s’, are you not carnal?
28 To You, O LORD, do I cry. O my strength, do not be deaf toward me; lest if You do not answer me, I be like those who go down into the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my petitions when I cry to You, when I hold up my hands toward Your Holy Oracle.
3 Do not draw me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak friendly to their neighbors when malice is in their hearts.
4 Reward them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. Recompense them for the work of their hands. Render them their reward.
5 For they do not reward the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands. Break them down and do not build them up.
6 Praised be the LORD, for He has heard the voice of my petitions.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in Him, and I was helped. Therefore, my heart shall rejoice; and with my song I will praise Him.
8 The LORD is their strength; and He is the strength of the deliverances of His anointed.
9 Save Your people and bless Your inheritance. Feed them, also, and exalt them forever. A Psalm of David.
24 The steps of man are ruled by the LORD. How, then, can a man understand his own way?
25 It is a snare for a man to rashly declare holiness, and afterward to make inquiry.
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