Ezra 1:1

New International Reader's Version

It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,

Cross References

Ezra 1:5

Then everyone God had inspired prepared to go. They wanted to go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple there. They included the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin. They also included the priests and Levites.

Ezra 4:3

Zerubbabel and Joshua answered them. So did the rest of the family leaders of Israel. They said, “You can’t help us build a temple to honor our God. You aren’t part of us. We’ll build it ourselves. We’ll do it to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us to build it.”

Ezra 6:14

The elders of the Jews continued to build the temple. They enjoyed great success because of the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the prophets. Zechariah belonged to the family line of Iddo. The people finished building the temple. That’s what the God of Israel had commanded them to do. Cyrus and Darius had given orders allowing them to do it. Later, Artaxerxes supplied many things that were needed in the temple. Those three men were kings of Persia.

Ezra 6:22

For seven days they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy. That’s because the Lord had filled them with joy. They were glad because he had changed the mind of the king of Persia. So the king had helped them with the work on the house of the God of Israel.

Ezra 6:3

In the first year that Cyrus was king, he gave an order. It concerned God’s temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus said, Rebuild the temple. Then the Jews can offer sacrifices there. Lay its foundations. The temple must be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide.

Ezra 7:27

So here is what I, Ezra, say to you people of Israel. “Give praise to the Lord. He is the God of our people who lived long ago. He has put it in the king’s heart to bring honor to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. The king has honored the Lord in his letter.

Psalm 106:46

He made all those who held them as prisoners have mercy on them.

Proverbs 21:1

In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is like a stream of water. The Lord directs it toward all those who please him.

Isaiah 44:28

I say about Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd. He will accomplish everything I want him to. He will say about Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt.” And he will say about the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.” ’

Isaiah 45:1

“Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him,

Jeremiah 1:1

These are the words Jeremiah received from the Lord. Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah. Jeremiah was one of the priests at Anathoth. That’s a town in the territory of Benjamin.

Jeremiah 29:10

The Lord says, “You will be forced to live in Babylon for 70 years. After they are over, I will come to you. My good promise to you will come true. I will bring you back home.

Ezekiel 38:5

The men of Persia, Cush and Put will march out with them. All of them will have shields and helmets.

Daniel 1:21

Daniel served in Babylon until the first year Cyrus ruled over the land of Babylon. Cyrus was king of Persia.

Daniel 2:1

In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, he had a dream. His mind was troubled. He couldn’t sleep.

Daniel 6:25

Then King Darius wrote to people of all nations, no matter what language they spoke. He said, “May you have great success!

Daniel 9:2

In that year I learned from the Scriptures that Jerusalem would remain destroyed for 70 years. That was what the Lord had told Jeremiah the prophet.

John 1:23

John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, “I’m the messenger who is calling out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3)