Ezra \{and the group with him\} left Babylon on the first day of the first month. He arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. The Lord God was with Ezra.
I also told those people that God had been kind to me. I told them the things the king had said to me. Then those people answered, “Let’s start to work, now!” So we began this good work.
I also need lumber for the heavy wooden beams for the gates, the walls, the walls around the temple, {\cf2\super [7]} and my house. So I need a letter from you to Asaph. Asaph is in charge of your forests.”
All the people that heard about these things wondered about them. They thought, “What will this child (John) be?” They said this because the Lord (God) was with this child.
The believers praised God, and all the people liked them. More and more people were being saved every day; the Lord was adding those people to the group \{of believers\}.
The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. Even a big group of Jewish priests believed and obeyed.
We brought the Good News {\cf2\super [1]} to you. But we did not use only words. We brought that Good News with power. We brought it with the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [2]} and with sure knowledge that it was true. Also you know how we lived when we were with you. We lived that way to help you.