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¹ After these actes in the reigne of Artaxerses kynge of Persia, there wente vp from Babilon, E?dras the sonne of Seraia, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Helchias,² the sonne of Sallum, the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Achitob,³ the sonne of Amaria, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne Meraioth,⁴ the sonne of Serahia, ye sonne of Vsi, the sonne of Buki,⁵ the sonne of Abisua, the sonne of Phineas, the sonne of Eleasar, the sonne of Aaron the chefe prest,⁶ which was a quycke scrybe in the lawe of Moses, which the LORDE God of Israel dyd geue. And ye kynge gaue him all that he requyred, acordinge to the hande of the LORDE his God vpon him.⁷ And there wente vp certayne of the children of Israel, and of the prestes, and of the Leuites, of the syngers, of the porters, and of the Nethinims vnto Ierusalem, in the seuenth yeare of kynge Artaxerses.⁸ And they came to Ierusalem in the fifth moneth, that is the seuenth yeare of the kynge.⁹ For vpon the first daye of the first moneth, deuysed he to go vp from Babilon: and on ye first daye of the fifth moneth came he to Ierusalem, acordinge to the good hande of God vpon him:¹⁰ For E?dras prepared his hert to seke the lawe of the LORDE, and to do it, and to teach the precepte & iudgment in Israel.

¹¹ And this is the summe of the letter, that kynge Artaxerses gaue vnto E?dras the prest, the scrybe, which was a teacher in the wordes of the LORDE and of his statutes ouer Israel.¹² Vnto E?dras the prest and scrybe in the lawe of the God of heauen, peace and salutacion.¹³ I haue commaunded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the prestes and Leuites in my realme, which are mynded of their awne good wyll to go vp to Ierusalem, that they go with the,¹⁴ beynge sent of the kynge and of the seuen lordes of the councell, to vyset Iuda and Ierusalem, acordinge to the lawe of God, which is in thy hade:¹⁵ And that thou shuldest take with the, syluer and golde, which the kynge and the lordes of his councell geue of their awne good wyll vnto the God of Israel (whose habitacion is at Ierusalem)¹⁶ and all the syluer and golde that thou canst fynde in all ye countre of Babilon: with it that the people and prestes geue of their awne good wil vnto the house of God at Ierusalem.¹⁷ Take thou the same, and bye diligently with the same money, calues, lambes, goates, and meatofferynges and drynkofferynges, to be offred vpon the altare of the house of youre God at Ierusalem.¹⁸ And loke what it lyketh the and thy brethren to do with the remnaunt of the money, that do after the wyll of youre God.¹⁹ And the vessels that are geuen the for the mynistracion in the house of thy God, those delyuer thou before God at Ierusalem.²⁰ And what so euer thinge more shal be nedefull for the house of thy God, which is necessary for the to spende, let the same be geue out of the kynges chamber.²¹ I kynge Artaxerses haue commaunded all the treasurers beyonde the water, yt loke what so euer E?dras the prest and scrybe in the lawe of the God of heaue, requyreth of you, that ye fulfyll the same diligently,²² vntyll an hundreth taletes of syluer, and tyll an hundreth quarters of wheate, and tyll an hudreth Batthes of wyne, and tyll an hundreth Batthes of oyle, and salt without measure.²³ Whatsoeuer belongeth to the lawe of the God of heauen, let the same be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaue, that there come no wrath vpon the kynges realme & his children.²⁴ And knowne be it vnto you, that ye shall haue no auctorite to requyre taxinge & custome, and yearly rentes vpon eny of the prestes, Leuites, syngers, porters, Nethinims and mynisters in ye house of this God.²⁵ But thou E?dras (after the wy?dome of yi God that is in thy hande) set thou iudges and arbiters, to iudge all the people that is beyonde Iordane, euen all soch as knowe the lawe of thy God: and them that knowe it not, those se that ye teache.²⁶ And who so euer wyl not diligently fulfyll the lawe of thy God, and the kynges lawe, shall haue his iudgmet for the dede, whether it be vnto death, or to be banyshed, or to be condemned in good, or to be put in preson.

²⁷ Praysed be the LORDE God of oure fathers, which so hath inspyred ye kynges hert to garnysh the house of God at Ierusalem:²⁸ and hath enclyned his mercy vnto me in the presence of the kynge, and his councelers, and before all the kynges hye estates. And I was comforted (acordinge to the hade of the LORDE my God ouer me) and so gathered I the heades of Israel together, yt they mighte go vp with me.