1 After these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 6 This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him everything he requested, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.

7 Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants also went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the king's seventh year. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began the journey up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived in Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, to do it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the LORD's commandments and his statutes for Israel:

12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace. And now: 13 I decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites who freely wishes to go to Jerusalem with you may go. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to investigate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God that is in your hand, 15 and to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 along with all the silver and gold you find throughout the province of Babylon, and the freewill offerings that the people and the priests freely give for the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17 Therefore, diligently use this silver to buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18 Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, do according to the will of your God. 19 Deliver the vessels given to you for the service of the house of your God before the God of Jerusalem. 20 Whatever else is needed for the house of your God that you are required to provide, provide from the king's treasury. 21 I, King Artaxerxes, also decree to all the treasurers in Beyond the River that everything Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, asks of you is to be done diligently, 22 up to about 7,500 pounds of silver, up to about 500 bushels of wheat, up to about 550 gallons of wine, up to about 550 gallons of oil, and salt without a set limit. 23 Let everything commanded by the God of heaven be done carefully for the house of the God of heaven. Why should wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons? 24 We also inform you that it is not lawful to impose tribute, tax, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. 25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in Beyond the River, all who know the laws of your God. Teach those who do not know them. 26 Let judgment be carried out promptly on anyone who does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.”

27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put this in the king's heart to beautify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, 28 and extended his faithful love to me before the king, his counselors, and all the king's mighty officials! I took courage because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.