Today’s
Reading : Ezra 2 – 4 and Ephesians
5 (KJV)
Ezra 2
Ezr 2:1 Now these are
the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which
had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away
unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
Ezr 2:2 Which came with Zerubbabel:
Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the
men of the people of Israel:
Ezr 2:3 The children of Parosh,
two thousand a hundred seventy and two.
Ezr 2:4 The children of Shephatiah,
three hundred seventy and two.
Ezr 2:5 The children of Arah,
seven hundred seventy and five.
Ezr 2:6 The children of Pahath-moab,
of the children of Jeshua and
Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
Ezr 2:7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred
fifty and four.
Ezr 2:8 The children of Zattu,
nine hundred forty and five.
Ezr 2:9 The children of Zaccai,
seven hundred and threescore.
Ezr 2:10 The children of Bani,
six hundred forty and two.
Ezr 2:11 The children of Bebai,
six hundred twenty and three.
Ezr 2:12 The children of Azgad,
a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
Ezr 2:13 The children of Adonikam,
six hundred sixty and six.
Ezr 2:14 The children of Bigvai,
two thousand fifty and six.
Ezr 2:15 The children of Adin,
four hundred fifty and four.
Ezr 2:16 The children of Ater
of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
Ezr 2:17 The children of Bezai,
three hundred twenty and three.
Ezr 2:18 The children of Jorah,
a hundred and twelve.
Ezr 2:19 The children of Hashum,
two hundred twenty and three.
Ezr 2:20 The children of Gibbar,
ninety and five.
Ezr 2:21 The children of Bethlehem, a hundred twenty
and three.
Ezr 2:22 The men of Netophah,
fifty and six.
Ezr 2:23 The men of Anathoth,
a hundred twenty and eight.
Ezr 2:24 The children of Azmaveth,
forty and two.
Ezr 2:25 The children of Kirjath-arim,
Chephirah, and Beeroth,
seven hundred and forty and three.
Ezr 2:26 The children of Ramah and Gaba,
six hundred twenty and one.
Ezr 2:27 The men of Michmas,
a hundred twenty and two.
Ezr 2:28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty
and three.
Ezr 2:29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
Ezr 2:30 The children of Magbish,
a hundred fifty and six.
Ezr 2:31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand
two hundred fifty and four.
Ezr 2:32 The children of Harim,
three hundred and twenty.
Ezr 2:33 The children of Lod,
Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
Ezr 2:34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty
and five.
Ezr 2:35 The children of Senaah,
three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
Ezr 2:36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua,
nine hundred seventy and three.
Ezr 2:37 The children of Immer,
a thousand fifty and two.
Ezr 2:38 The children of Pashur,
a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
Ezr 2:39 The children of Harim,
a thousand and seventeen.
Ezr 2:40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the
children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
Ezr 2:41 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
Ezr 2:42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater,
the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita,
the children of Shobai, in
all a hundred thirty and nine.
Ezr 2:43 The Nethinims: the
children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha,
the children of Tabbaoth,
Ezr 2:44 The children of Keros,
the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
Ezr 2:45 The children of Lebanah,
the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
Ezr 2:46 The children of Hagab,
the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
Ezr 2:47 The children of Giddel,
the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
Ezr 2:48 The children of Rezin,
the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
Ezr 2:49 The children of Uzza,
the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
Ezr 2:50 The children of Asnah,
the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
Ezr 2:51 The children of Bakbuk,
the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
Ezr 2:52 The children of Bazluth,
the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
Ezr 2:53 The children of Barkos,
the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
Ezr 2:54 The children of Neziah,
the children of Hatipha.
Ezr 2:55 The children of Solomon's servants: the
children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
Ezr 2:56 The children of Jaalah,
the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
Ezr 2:57 The children of Shephatiah,
the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children
of Ami.
Ezr 2:58 All the Nethinims,
and the children of Solomon's servants, were
three hundred ninety and two.
Ezr 2:59 And these were
they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they
could not show their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
Ezr 2:60 The children of Delaiah,
the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
Ezr 2:61 And of the children of the priests: the
children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai;
which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
Ezr 2:62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but
they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
Ezr 2:63 And the Tirshatha
said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there
stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Ezr 2:64 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
Ezr 2:65 Beside their servants and their maids, of
whom there were
seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there
were among them two hundred singing men
and singing women.
Ezr 2:66 Their horses were
seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
Ezr 2:67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and
twenty.
Ezr 2:68 And some
of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of
God to set it up in his place:
Ezr 2:69 They gave after their ability unto the
treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five
thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
Ezr 2:70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the
porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities,
and all Israel in their cities.
Ezra 3
Ezr 3:1 And when the seventh month was come, and the
children of Israel were in the cities,
the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
Ezr 3:2 Then stood up Jeshua
the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and his brethren, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt
offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
Ezr 3:3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for
fear was upon them because of the people
of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
Ezr 3:4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is
written, and offered the daily burnt
offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day
required;
Ezr 3:5 And afterward offered
the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts
of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a
freewill offering unto the LORD.
Ezr 3:6 From the first day of the seventh month began
they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple
of the LORD was not yet laid.
Ezr 3:7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to
the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon,
and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa,
according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
Ezr 3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto
the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel
the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua
the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren
the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity
unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to
set forward the work of the house of the LORD.
Ezr 3:9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set
forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad,
with their sons and their brethren the
Levites.
Ezr 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of
the temple of the LORD, they set 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.
Ezr 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising
and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he
is good, for his mercy endureth 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 was laid.
Ezr 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief
of the fathers, who were ancient men, that 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:
Ezr 3:13 So that the people could not discern the
noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the
people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Ezra 4
Ezr 4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and
Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple unto the
LORD God of Israel;
Ezr 4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel,
and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for
we seek your God, as ye do; and we do
sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king
of Assur, which brought us up hither.
Ezr 4:3 But Zerubbabel, and
Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of
Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our
God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king
Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Ezr 4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the
hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
Ezr 4:5 And hired counsellors against them, to
frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the
reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ezr 4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus,
in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto
him an accusation against the
inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezr 4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes
wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted
in the Syrian tongue.
Ezr 4:8 Rehum the
chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this
sort:
Ezr 4:9 Then wrote
Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai
the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites,
the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites,
the Apharsites, the Archevites,
the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
Ezr 4:10 And the rest of the nations whom the great
and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the
cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
Ezr 4:11 This is
the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even
unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on
this side the river, and at such a time.
Ezr 4:12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews
which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious
and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof,
and joined the foundations.
Ezr 4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this
city be built, and the walls set up again,
then will they not pay toll, tribute,
and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the
kings.
Ezr 4:14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's
palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have
we sent and certified the king;
Ezr 4:15 That search may be made in the book of the
records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the
book of the records, and know that this city is
a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have
moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city
destroyed.
Ezr 4:16 We certify the king that, if this city be
built again, and the walls thereof set
up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this
side the river.
Ezr 4:17 Then
sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor,
and to Shimshai
the scribe, and to the rest of their
companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto
the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
Ezr 4:18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been
plainly read before me.
Ezr 4:19 And I commanded, and search hath been made,
and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against
kings, and that rebellion and sedition
have been made therein.
Ezr 4:20 There have been mighty kings also over
Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries
beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
Ezr 4:21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to
cease, and that this city be not built, until another
commandment shall be given from me.
Ezr 4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this:
why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Ezr 4:23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes'
letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe,
and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and
made them to cease by force and power.
Ezr 4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which
is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the
second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ephesians 5
Eph
5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear
children:
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved
us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh
saints;
Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye
light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those
things which are done of them in secret.
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made
manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith,
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give thee light.
Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as
fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are
evil.
Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding
what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God
and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the
fear of God.
Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even
as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto
Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own
bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth
himself.
Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it,
even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh,
and of his bones.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father
and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak
concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in
particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.