It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,

波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米口所说的话，就激动波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏通告全国说：

波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米的口所说的话，就激发波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏书通告全国，说：

波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米的口所说的话，就激发波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏书通告全国，说：

波斯王塞鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验祂借耶利米所说的话，就感动波斯王塞鲁士，使他下诏通告全国：

波斯王古列元年，耶和华为要应验他藉耶利米的口所说的话，就激动波斯王古列的心灵，使他通令全国，传达文告说：

波斯王塞魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米口所說的話，就激動波斯王塞魯士的心，使他下詔通告全國說：

波斯王居魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米的口所說的話，就激發波斯王居魯士的心，使他下詔書通告全國，說：

波斯王居魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米的口所說的話，就激發波斯王居魯士的心，使他下詔書通告全國，說：

波斯王塞魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗祂藉耶利米所說的話，就感動波斯王塞魯士，使他下詔通告全國：

波斯王古列元年，耶和華為要應驗他藉耶利米的口所說的話，就激動波斯王古列的心靈，使他通令全國，傳達文告說：

波斯王古列元年、永恆主為要成就他自己的話、從耶利米口中說出來的，永恆主就激動了波斯王古列的心，使他將布告傳達全國，並且用書面傳達說：

波斯王古列元年、耶和華使藉耶利米口所言得應、感波斯王古列之心、宣告通國、且書之曰、

耶和華諭耶利米預言必應、故巴西國王古列元年、耶和華感古列王之心、詔告天下云、

巴西王古列元年、主欲應耶利米所傳主之言、感巴西王古列之心、宣告遍國、並降詔曰、

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD roused the spirit of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and[ put it] also in writing, saying,

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the LORD’S message spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the mind of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict the following:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,“ Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,“‘ The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem. And may the Lord their God be with them.’ ”

The Lord says,“ You will be forced to live in Babylon for 70 years. After they are over, I will come to you. My good promise to you will come true. I will bring you back home.

He made all those who held them as prisoners have mercy on them.

In the Lord’ s hand the king’s heart is like a stream of water. The Lord directs it toward all those who please him.

“‘ But I will punish that king and his nation because they are guilty. I will do this when the 70 years are over,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will make that land a desert forever.I have spoken against that land. And I will make all these things happen to it. Everything will happen that is written in this book. And I will make everything Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations come true.The people of Babylon will become slaves of many other nations and great kings. I will pay them back for what they have done.’ ”

“ But King Cyrus gave an order to rebuild this house of God. He gave it in the first year he was king of Babylon.He even removed some gold and silver objects from the temple of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had brought them there from the house of God in Jerusalem. He had taken them to the temple in Babylon. Then King Cyrus brought the objects out. He gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar. Cyrus had appointed him as governor.Cyrus told him,‘ Take these objects with you. Go and put them in the temple in Jerusalem. Rebuild the house of God in the same place where it stood before.’

For seven days they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy. That’s because the Lord had filled them with joy. They were glad because he had changed the mind of the king of Persia. So the king had helped them with the work on the house of the God of Israel.

I will bring Judah and Israel back from the places where they have been taken. I will build up the nation again. It will be just as it was before.I will wash from its people all the sins they have committed against me. And I will forgive all the sins they committed when they turned away from me.Then this city will bring me fame, joy, praise and honor. All the nations on earth will hear about the good things I do for this city. They will see the great success and peace I give it. Then they will be filled with wonder. And they will tremble with fear.”The Lord says,“ You say about this place,‘ It’s a dry and empty desert. It doesn’t have any people or animals in it.’ The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem are now deserted. So they do not have any people or animals living in them. But happy sounds will be heard there once more.They will be the sounds of joy and gladness. The voices of brides and grooms will fill the streets. And the voices of those who bring thank offerings to my house will be heard there. They will say,“‘ Give thanks to the Lord who rules over all, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.’ That’s because I will bless this land with great success again. It will be as it was before,” says the Lord.The Lord who rules over all says,“ This place is a desert. It does not have any people or animals in it. But there will again be grasslands near all its towns. Shepherds will rest their flocks there.Flocks will again pass under the hands of shepherds as they count their sheep,” says the Lord.“ That will be done in the towns of the central hill country. It will be done in the western hills and the Negev Desert. It will be done in the territory of Benjamin. And it will be done in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah.

So here is what I, Ezra, say to you people of Israel.“ Give praise to the Lord. He is the God of our people who lived long ago. He has put it in the king’s heart to bring honor to the Lord’ s temple in Jerusalem. The king has honored the Lord in his letter.

In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, he had a dream. His mind was troubled. He couldn’t sleep.

In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea.He said,“ Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.”John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)

John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said,“ I’m the messenger who is calling out in the desert,‘ Make the way for the Lord straight.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)