Ezra 5:3-13

3At that time, Tattenai was the ruler who had authority over the region on the west side of the Euphrates river. He went with Shethar-Bozenai and their friends to ask the Jews what they were doing. They asked them, ‘Who gave you the authority to build this temple and make it ready to use again?’

4They also asked, ‘What are the names of the men who are building this place?’

5But God was watching over the Jewish leaders. Nobody was able to stop them building at that time. The city's officers had to wait until they could send a letter to King Darius. They waited for him to reply.

6Tattenai, the city's ruler, Shethar-Bozenai and their friends who had authority in the region west of the Euphrates river wrote to King Darius.

7This is what they said: King Darius, we hope that you are well.

8We went to Judah to visit the temple of the great God. The king should know that the Jews are building it with big stones. They are putting wooden beams in its walls. They are working hard and very carefully. The building is growing fast.

9We spoke to their leaders and we asked them, ‘Who gave you authority to build this temple and make it ready to use again?’

10We also asked them to tell us their names. Then we could tell you who the leaders are.

11This is the answer that they gave to us: ‘We are servants of the God who rules heaven and earth. A great king of Israel built this temple and finished it many years ago. Now we are building it again.

12Our ancestors made the God of heaven angry. So he let King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon have power over them. He destroyed this temple. Then he took our people as prisoners to Babylon.

13But later, King Cyrus of Babylon commanded that we must build God's temple again. He said this in the first year that he was king.