Ezra 7:11-26

11Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, 1learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel: 12“2Artaxerxes, 3king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, 4perfect peace. And now 135I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14Since you are sent 6on the part of the king and his 7seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God which is in your hand, 15and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his advisers have voluntarily given to the God of Israel, 8whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16with 9all the silver and gold which you find in the entire province of Babylon, along 10with the 11voluntary offering of the people and of the priests, who 12offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, 13with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and 14offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18And whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God. 19Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20And the rest of the needs of the house of your God, for which it may be incumbent upon you to provide, 15provide for them from the royal treasury.

21“I myself, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the Euphrates River, that whatever Ezra the priest, 16the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, 22up to 17a hundred talents of silver, 18a hundred kors of wheat, 19a hundred baths of wine, 20a hundred baths of anointing oil, and salt 21as needed. 23Whatever is 22commanded by the God of heaven, it shall be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, 23so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24We also inform you that 24it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute, or toll 25on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25“And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, 26appoint magistrates and judges so that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the Euphrates River, that is, all those who know the laws of your God; and you may 27teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26And 28whoever does not comply with the Law of your God and the law of the king, judgment is to be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment, or for 29confiscation of property or for imprisonment.”