Almost at once Governor Tattenai of West-of-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their fellow officials came to Jerusalem and demanded: "Who gave you orders to build this Temple and equip it?"

This is the report that they sent to the emperor:

The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel."

May Almighty God cause the man to have pity on you, so that he will give Benjamin and your other brother back to you. As for me, if I must lose my children, I must lose them."

Listen now to my prayer and to the prayers of all your other servants who want to honor you. Give me success today and make the emperor merciful to me." In those days I was the emperor's wine steward.

Human anger only results in more praise for you; those who survive the wars will keep your festivals.

The LORD controls the mind of a king as easily as he directs the course of a stream.

Human wisdom, brilliance, insight---they are of no help if the LORD is against you.

The LORD punished his people by sending them into exile. He took them away with a cruel wind from the east.

The kings of the earth prepared themselves, and the rulers met together against the Lord and his Messiah.'

They gathered to do everything that you by your power and will had already decided would happen.

In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?