Now thisis the copyof the decreewhichKingArtaxerxesgaveto Ezrathe priest,the scribe,learnedin the wordsof the commandmentsof the LORDand His statutesto Israel:
thisis the copyof the letterwhichthey sentto him: "To KingArtaxerxes:Your servants,the menin the regionbeyondthe River,and now
[This is] the copyof the letterwhichTattenai,the governorof [the province] beyondthe River,and Shethar-bozenaiand his colleaguesthe officials,whowere beyondthe River,sentto Dariusthe king.
For Ezrahad sethis heartto studythe lawof the LORDand to practice[it], and to teach[His] statutesand ordinancesin Israel.
"Artaxerxes,kingof kings,to Ezrathe priest,the scribeof the lawof the Godof heaven,perfect[peace]. And now
"I, even I, KingArtaxerxes,issuea decreeto allthe treasurerswhoare [in the provinces] beyondthe River,that whateverEzrathe priest,the scribeof the lawof the Godof heaven,may requireof you, it shall be donediligently,
ThisEzrawentup from Babylon,and he was a scribeskilledin the lawof Moses,whichthe LORDGodof Israelhad given;and the kinggrantedhim allhe requestedbecause the handof the LORDhis God[was] upon him.
"But woeto you, scribesand Pharisees,hypocrites,becauseyou shutoff the kingdomof heavenfrom people;for you do not enterin yourselves,nordo you allowthosewho are enteringto goin.
saying:"The scribesand the Phariseeshave seated themselvesin the chairof Moses;
