15. When you go, take the silver and gold that I and my advisers are freely giving to the God of Israel, whose temple is in Jerusalem.
16. Take the silver and gold that you collect from everywhere in Babylonia. Also take the gifts that your own people and priests have so willingly contributed for the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
17. Use the money carefully to buy the best bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine. Then sacrifice them on the altar at God's temple in Jerusalem.
18. If any silver or gold is left, you and your people may use it for whatever pleases your God.
19. Give your God the other articles that have been contributed for use in his temple.
20. If you need to get anything else for the temple, you may have the money you need from the royal treasury.
21. Ezra, you are a priest and an expert in the laws of the God of heaven, and I order all treasurers in Western Province to do their very best to help you.
22. They will be allowed to give as much as 3,400 kilogrammes of silver,10,000 kilogrammes of wheat,2,000 litres of wine,2,000 litres of olive oil, and all the salt you need.
23. They must provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his temple, so that he won't be angry with me and with the kings who rule after me.
24. We want you to know that no priests, Levites, musicians, guards, temple servants, or any other temple workers will have to pay any kind of taxes.
25. Ezra, use the wisdom God has given you and choose officials and leaders to govern the people of Western Province. These leaders should know God's laws and have them taught to anyone who doesn't know them.
26. Everyone who fails to obey God's Law or the king's law will be punished without pity. They will be executed or put in prison or forced to leave their country, or have all they own taken away.
27. Because King Artaxerxes was so kind, Ezra said:Praise the Lord God of our ancestors! He made sure that the king honoured the Lord's temple in Jerusalem.
28. God has told the king, his advisers, and his powerful officials to treat me with kindness. The Lord God has helped me, and I have been able to bring many Jewish leaders back to Jerusalem.