Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. ¹  He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

In the first year of the reign of ¹  King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah, ²  the Lord moved ³  King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom.

¹ In the first ²  year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message ³  spoken through ⁴  Jeremiah, ⁵  the Lord stirred the mind ⁶  of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated ⁷  a proclamation ⁸  throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict ⁹  the following:

Esther’s command established these matters of Purim, and the matter was officially recorded. ¹ 

This gospel ¹  he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,

King Huram ¹  of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.”

but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith –

When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.”

“If only I had ¹  someone to hear me! Here is my signature – ²  let the Almighty answer me! If only I had an indictment ³  that my accuser had written. ⁴ 

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian ¹  who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, ²  or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.

Next, I noticed ¹  six men ²  coming from the direction of the upper gate ³  which faces north, each with his war club in his hand. Among them was a man dressed in linen with a writing kit ⁴  at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

The account of his intervention ¹  will be recorded for future generations; people yet to be born will praise the Lord.

Then ¹  beginning with Moses and all the prophets, ²  he interpreted to them the things written about ³  himself in all the scriptures.

For this reason also I wrote you: ¹  to test you to see ²  if you are obedient in everything.

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, ¹ 

Then ¹  he bent over again and wrote on the ground.

And during the reign ¹  of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, ²  Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues ³  wrote to King Artaxerxes ⁴  of Persia. This letter ⁵  was first written in Aramaic but then translated. [Aramaic:] ⁶ 

A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, ¹  so that they would be prepared for this day.

A copy of the edict was to be presented as law throughout each and every province and made known to all peoples, so that the Jews might be prepared on that ¹  day to avenge themselves from their enemies.

They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” ¹