The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
24 Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
5 Now Aggeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judea and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.
2 Then rose up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
3 And at the same time came to them Thathanai, who was governor beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and their counsellors: and said thus to them: Who hath given you counsel to build this house, and to repair the walls thereof?
4 In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.
5 But the eye of their God was upon the ancients of the Jews, and they could not hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they should give satisfaction concerning that accusation.
6 The copy of the letter that Thathanai governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors the Arphasachites, who dwelt beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.
7 The letter which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king all peace.
8 Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently, and advanceth in their hands.
9 And we asked those ancients, and said to them thus: Who hath given you authority to build this house, and to repair these walls?
10 We asked also of them their names, that we might give thee notice: and we have written the names of the men that are the chief among them.
11 And they answered us in these words, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building a temple that was built these many years ago, and which a great king of Israel built and set up.
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he delivered them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon the Chaldean: and he destroyed this house, and carried away the people to Babylon.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus set forth a decree, that this house of God should be built.
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,
15 And said to him: Take these vessels, and go, and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.
16 Then came this same Sassabasar, and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it is in building, and is not yet finished.
17 Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let him search in the king's library, which is in Babylon, whether it hath been decreed by Cyrus the king, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
6 Then king Darius gave orders, and they searched in the library of the books that were laid up in Babylon,
2 And there was found in Ecbatana, which is a castle in the province of Media, a book in which this record was written.
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king: Cyrus the king decreed, that the house of God should be built, which is in Jerusalem, in the place where they may offer sacrifices, and that they lay the foundations that may support the height of threescore cubits, and the breadth of threescore cubits,
4 Three rows of unpolished stones, and so rows of new timber: and the charges shall be given out of the king's house.
5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor took out of the temple of Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and carried back to the temple of Jerusalem to their place, which also were placed in the temple of God.
6 Now therefore Thathanai, governor of the country beyond the river, Stharbuzanai, and your counsellors the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, depart far from them,
7 And let that temple of God be built by the governor of the Jews, and by their ancients, that they may build that house of God in its place.
8 I also have commanded what must be done by those ancients of the Jews, that the house of God may be built, to wit, that of the king's chest, that is, of the tribute that is paid out of the country beyond the river, the charges be diligently given to those men, lest the work be hindered.
9 And if it shall be necessary, let calves also, and lambs, and kids, for holocausts to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the custom of the priests that are in Jerusalem, be given them day by day, that there be no complaint in any thing.
10 And let them offer oblations to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his children.
11 And I have made a decree: That if any whosoever, shall alter this commandment, a beam be taken from his house. and set up, and he be nailed upon it, and his house be confiscated.
12 And may the God, that hath caused his name to dwell there, destroy all kingdoms, and the people that shall put out their hand to resist, and to destroy the house of God, that is in Jerusalem. I Darius have made the decree, which I will have diligently complied with.
13 So then Thathanai, governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors diligently executed what Darius the king had commanded.
14 And the ancients of the Jews built and prospered according to the prophecy of Aggeus the prophet, and of Zacharias the son of Addo: and they built and finished, by the commandment of the God of Israel, and by the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes kings of the Persians.
15 And they were finishing this house of God, until the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.
16 And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity kept the dedication of the house of God with joy.
17 And they offered at the dedication of the house of God, a, hundred calves, 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.
18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses over the works of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
19 And the children of Israel of the captivity kept the phase, on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For all the priests and the Levites were purified as one man: all were clear to kill the phase for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and themselves.
21 And the children of Israel that were returned from captivity, and all that had separated themselves from the filthiness of the nations of the earth to them, to seek the Lord the God of Israel, did eat.
22 And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, that he should help their hands in the work of the house of the Lord the God of Israel.
5 The ministers of him whom you have believed; and to every one as the Lord hath given.
6 I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase.
7 Therefore, neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, are one. And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour.
9 For we are God's coadjutors: you are God's husbandry; you are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:
13 Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
16 Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.
18 Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: I will catch the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Let no man therefore glory in men.
22 For all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; for all are yours;
23 And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
29 A psalm of a canticle, at the dedication of David's house.
2 I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.
3 O Lord my God, I have cried to thee, and then hast healed me.
4 Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit.
5 Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: and give praise to the memory of his holiness.
6 For wrath is in his indignation; and life in his good will. In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness.
7 And in my abundance I said: I shall never be moved.
8 O Lord, in thy favour, thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnedst away thy face from me, and I became troubled.
9 To thee, O Lord, will I cry: and I will make supplication to my God.
10 What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption? Shall dust confess to thee, or declare thy truth?
11 The Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: the Lord became my helper.
12 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: thou hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with gladness:
13 To the end that my glory may sing to thee, and I may not regret: O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee for ever.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.
27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)