And whatever you and your brethren are minded to do with the gold and silver, perform it in accordance with the will of your God: The Greek pronouns for you and your are singular, referring to Ezra. Translators can make this clear by inserting his name (see the model below). Your brethren refers to Ezra’s fellow Jews. Contemporary English Version translates the gold and silver as “the remaining gold and silver,” that is, what is left over after buying the sacrificial animals and other material. This reading follows the parallel passage in Ezra 7.18. However, the Greek text here does not say this, and it will be best to leave out the idea “remaining,” although it may indeed have been intended.

Perform it in accordance with the will of your God: Whatever Ezra and his fellow Jews decide to do with the gold and silver must be done according to God’s will. This clause may be translated “but do it in conformity with the will of your God” or “as long as you do it according to what your God wants.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Ezra, you and the rest of the Jews may do whatever you like with the gold and silver, as long as it does not go against [or, is consistent with] the will of your God.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.