1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:

“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple ¹¹  for him in Jerusalem, ¹²  which is in Judah. 1:3 Anyone from ¹³  his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors ¹⁴  with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

6:4 The Nephilim ⁸  were on the earth in those days (and also after this) ⁹  when the sons of God were having sexual relations with ¹⁰  the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. ¹¹  They were the mighty heroes ¹²  of old, the famous men. ¹³ 

6:5 But the Lord saw ¹⁴  that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination ¹⁵  of the thoughts ¹⁶  of their minds ¹⁷  was only evil ¹⁸  all the time. ¹⁹ 

6:8 But ¹  Noah found favor ²  in the sight of ³  the Lord.

6:9 This is the account of Noah. ⁴ 

Noah was a godly man; he was blameless ⁵ 

among his contemporaries. ⁶  He ⁷  walked with ⁸  God. 6:10 Noah had ⁹  three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

6:11 The earth was ruined ¹⁰  in the sight of ¹¹  God; the earth was filled with violence. ¹²  6:12 God saw the earth, and indeed ¹³  it was ruined, ¹⁴  for all living creatures ¹⁵  on the earth were sinful. ¹⁶