Month: August 2018

Nehemiah Dedicates the City Wall

²⁷ When the city wall of Jerusalem was dedicated, the Levites were brought in from wherever they were living, so that they could join in celebrating the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals and harps. ²⁸ The Levite families of singers gathered from the area where they had settled around Jerusalem and from the towns around Netophah, ²⁹ and from Bethgilgal, Geba, and Azmaveth. ³⁰ The priests and the Levites performed ritual purification for themselves, the people, the gates, and the city wall.

³¹ I assembled the leaders of Judah on top of the wall and put them in charge of two large groups to march around the city, giving thanks to God.

The first group went to the right on top of the wall toward the Rubbish Gate.^{[a] 32} Hoshaiah marched behind the singers, followed by half the leaders of Judah. ^33-35 The following priests, blowing trumpets, marched next: Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Next came Zechariah, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Shemaiah. (His ancestors also included Mattaniah, Micaiah, and Zaccur, of the clan of Asaph.) ³⁶ He was followed by other members of his clan—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—all of whom carried musical instruments of the kind played by King David, the man of God. Ezra the scholar led this group in the procession. ³⁷ At the Fountain Gate they went up the steps that led to David's City, past David's palace, and back to the wall at the Water Gate, on the east side of the city.

³⁸ The other group of those who gave thanks went to the left along the top of the wall, and I followed with half of the people. We marched past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, ³⁹ and from there we went past Ephraim Gate, Jeshanah Gate,^[b] the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. We ended our march near the gate to the Temple.

⁴⁰ So both the groups that were giving thanks to God reached the Temple area.

In addition to the leaders who were with me, ⁴¹ my group included the following priests, blowing trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah; ⁴² and they were followed by Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers, led by Jezrahiah, sang at the top of their voices.

⁴³ That day many sacrifices were offered, and the people were full of joy because God had made them very happy. The women and the children joined in the celebration, and the noise they all made could be heard for miles.

Providing for Worship in the Temple

⁴⁴ At that time men were put in charge of the storerooms where contributions for the Temple were kept, including the tithes and the first grain and fruit that ripened each year. These men were responsible for collecting from the farms near the various cities the contributions for the priests and the Levites which the Law required. All the people of Judah were pleased with the priests and the Levites, ^45 (A)because they performed the ceremonies of purification and the other rituals that God had commanded. The Temple musicians and the Temple guards also performed their duties in accordance with the regulations made by King David and his son Solomon. ⁴⁶ From the time of King David and the musician Asaph long ago, the musicians have led songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ In the time of Zerubbabel and also in the time of Nehemiah, all the people of Israel gave daily gifts for the support of the Temple musicians and the Temple guards. The people gave a sacred offering to the Levites, and the Levites gave the required portion to the priests.

Separation from Foreigners

13 ^(B)When the Law of Moses was being read aloud to the people, they came to the passage that said that no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to be permitted to join God's people. ^2 (C)This was because the people of Ammon and Moab did not give food and water to the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. Instead, they paid money to Balaam to curse Israel, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³ When the people of Israel heard this law read, they excluded all foreigners from the community.

Nehemiah's Reforms

⁴ The priest Eliashib, who was in charge of the Temple storerooms, had for a long time been on good terms with Tobiah. ⁵ He allowed Tobiah to use a large room that was intended only for storing offerings of grain and incense, the equipment used in the Temple, the offerings for the priests, and the tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil given to the Levites, to the Temple musicians, and to the Temple guards. ⁶ While this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, because in the thirty-second year that Artaxerxes^[c] was king of Babylon I had gone back to report to him. After some time I received his permission ⁷ and returned to Jerusalem. There I was shocked to find that Eliashib had allowed Tobiah to use a room in the Temple. ⁸ I was furious and threw out all of Tobiah's belongings. ⁹ I gave orders for the rooms to be ritually purified and for the Temple equipment, grain offerings, and incense to be put back.

^10 (D)I also learned that the Temple musicians and other Levites had left Jerusalem and gone back to their farms, because the people had not been giving them enough to live on. ¹¹ I reprimanded the officials for letting the Temple be neglected. And I brought the Levites and musicians back to the Temple and put them to work again. ^12 (E)Then all the people of Israel again started bringing to the Temple storerooms their tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil. ¹³ I put the following men in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah, a priest; Zadok, a scholar of the Law; and Pedaiah, a Levite. Hanan, the son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah, was to be their assistant. I knew I could trust these men to be honest in distributing the supplies to the other workers.

¹⁴ Remember, my God, all these things that I have done for your Temple and its worship.

^15 (F)At that time I saw people in Judah pressing juice from grapes on the Sabbath. Others were loading grain, wine, grapes, figs, and other things on their donkeys and taking them into Jerusalem; I warned them not to sell anything on the Sabbath. ¹⁶ Some people from the city of Tyre were living in Jerusalem, and they brought fish and all kinds of goods into the city to sell to our people on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ I reprimanded the Jewish leaders and told them, “Look at the evil you're doing! You're making the Sabbath unholy. ¹⁸ This is exactly why God punished your ancestors when he brought destruction on this city. And yet you insist on bringing more of God's anger down on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

¹⁹ So I gave orders for the city gates to be shut at the beginning of every Sabbath, as soon as evening^[d] began to fall, and not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my men at the gates to make sure that nothing was brought into the city on the Sabbath. ²⁰ Once or twice merchants who sold all kinds of goods spent Friday night outside the city walls. ²¹ I warned them, “It's no use waiting out there for morning to come. If you try this again, I'll use force on you.” From then on they did not come back on the Sabbath. ²² I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to go and guard the gates to make sure that the Sabbath was kept holy.

Remember me, O God, for this also, and spare me because of your great love.

^23 (G)At that time I also discovered that many of the Jewish men had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. ²⁴ Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or some other language and didn't know how to speak our language. ²⁵ I reprimanded the men, called down curses on them, beat them, and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath in God's name that never again would they or their children intermarry with foreigners. ^26 (H)I told them, “It was foreign women that made King Solomon sin. Here was a man who was greater than any of the kings of other nations. God loved him and made him king over all of Israel, and yet he fell into this sin. ²⁷ Are we then to follow your example and disobey our God by marrying foreign women?”

^28 (I)Joiada was the son of Eliashib the High Priest, but one of Joiada's sons married the daughter of Sanballat, from the town of Beth Horon, so I made Joiada leave Jerusalem.

²⁹ Remember, God, how those people defiled both the office of priest and the covenant you made with the priests and the Levites.

³⁰ I purified the people from everything foreign; I prepared regulations for the priests and the Levites so that all of them would know their duties; ³¹ I arranged for the wood used for burning the offerings to be brought at the proper times, and for the people to bring their offerings of the first grain and the first fruits that ripened.

Remember all this, O God, and give me credit for it.

11 ^(A)Imitate me, then, just as I imitate Christ.

Covering the Head in Worship

² I praise you because you always remember me and follow the teachings that I have handed on to you. ³ But I want you to understand that Christ is supreme over every man, the husband is supreme over his wife, and God is supreme over Christ. ⁴ So a man who prays or proclaims God's message in public worship with his head covered disgraces Christ. ⁵ And any woman who prays or proclaims God's message in public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband; there is no difference between her and a woman whose head has been shaved. ⁶ If the woman does not cover her head, she might as well cut her hair. And since it is a shameful thing for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair, she should cover her head. ^7 (B)A man has no need to cover his head, because he reflects the image and glory of God. But woman reflects the glory of man; ^8 (C)for man was not created from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Nor was man created for woman's sake, but woman was created for man's sake. ¹⁰ On account of the angels, then, a woman should have a covering over her head to show that she is under her husband's authority. ¹¹ In our life in the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² For as woman was made from man, in the same way man is born of woman; and it is God who brings everything into existence.

¹³ Judge for yourselves whether it is proper for a woman to pray to God in public worship with nothing on her head. ¹⁴ Why, nature itself teaches you that long hair on a man is a disgrace, ¹⁵ but on a woman it is a thing of beauty. Her long hair has been given her to serve as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone wants to argue about it, all I have to say is that neither we nor the churches of God have any other custom in worship.

A Prayer for Help^[a]

¹⁷ Indulging in luxuries, wine, and rich food will never make you wealthy.

¹⁸ The wicked bring on themselves the suffering they try to cause good people.

The People Who Lived in Jerusalem

11 The leaders settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people drew lots to choose one family out of every ten to go and live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the rest were to live in the other cities and towns. ² The people praised anyone else who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. ^3 (A)In the other towns and cities the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple workers, and the descendants of Solomon's servants lived on their own property in their own towns.

The following is the list of the leading citizens of the province of Judah who lived in Jerusalem:

Members of the tribe of Judah

⁴ Athaiah, the son of Uzziah and grandson of Zechariah. His other ancestors included Amariah, Shephatiah, and Mahalalel, descendants of Judah's son Perez.

⁵ Maaseiah, the son of Baruch and grandson of Colhozeh. His other ancestors included Hazaiah, Adaiah, Joiarib, and Zechariah, descendants of Judah's son Shelah.

⁶ Of the descendants of Perez, 468 outstanding soldiers lived in Jerusalem.

Members of the tribe of Benjamin

⁷ Sallu, the son of Meshullam and grandson of Joed. His other ancestors included Pedaiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Ithiel, and Jeshaiah.

⁸ Gabbai and Sallai, close relatives^[a] of Sallu.

In all, 928 Benjaminites lived in Jerusalem. ⁹ Joel son of Zichri was their leader, and Judah son of Hassenuah was the second ranking official in the city.

Priests

¹⁰ Jedaiah son of Joiarib, and Jachin.

¹¹ Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah and grandson of Meshullam. His ancestors included Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub, who was the High Priest. ¹² In all, 822 members of this clan served in the Temple.

Adaiah, the son of Jeroham and grandson of Pelaliah. His ancestors included Amzi, Zechariah, Pashhur, and Malchijah. ¹³ In all, 242 members of this clan were heads of families.

Amashsai, the son of Azarel and grandson of Ahzai. His ancestors included Meshillemoth and Immer. ¹⁴ There were 128 members of this clan who were outstanding soldiers. Their leader was Zabdiel, a member of a leading family.^[b]

Levites

¹⁵ Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub and grandson of Azrikam. His ancestors included Hashabiah and Bunni.

¹⁶ Shabbethai and Jozabad, prominent Levites in charge of the work outside the Temple.

¹⁷ Mattaniah, the son of Mica and grandson of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph. He led the Temple choir in singing the prayer of thanksgiving.

Bakbukiah, who was Mattaniah's assistant.

Abda, the son of Shammua and grandson of Galal, a descendant of Jeduthun.

¹⁸ In all, 284 Levites lived in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Temple guards

¹⁹ Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, 172 in all.

²⁰ The rest of the people of Israel and the remaining priests and Levites lived on their own property in the other cities and towns of Judah. ²¹ The Temple workers lived in the part of Jerusalem called Ophel and worked under the supervision of Ziha and Gishpa.

²² The supervisor of the Levites who lived in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani and grandson of Hashabiah. His ancestors included Mattaniah and Mica, and he belonged to the clan of Asaph, the clan that was responsible for the music in the Temple services. ²³ There were royal regulations stating how the clans should take turns in leading the Temple music each day.

²⁴ Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the clan of Zerah and the tribe of Judah, represented the people of Israel at the Persian court.

The People in Other Towns and Cities

²⁵ Many of the people lived in towns near their farms. Those who were of the tribe of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba, Dibon, and Jekabzeel, and in the villages near these cities. ²⁶ They also lived in the cities of Jeshua, Moladah, Bethpelet, ²⁷ and Hazarshual, and in Beersheba and the villages around it. ²⁸ They lived in the city of Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, ²⁹ in Enrimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, ³⁰ in Zanoah, in Adullam, and in the villages near these towns. They lived in Lachish and on the farms nearby, and in Azekah and its villages. That is to say, the people of Judah lived in the territory between Beersheba in the south and Hinnom Valley in the north.

³¹ The people of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel and the nearby villages, ³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵ Lod, and Ono, and in Craftsmen's Valley. ³⁶ Some groups of Levites that had lived in the territory of Judah were assigned to live with the people of Benjamin.

List of Priests and Levites

12 The following is a list of the priests and Levites who returned from exile with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with the High Priest Joshua:

Priests

^2-7 Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.

These men were leaders among all their fellow priests in the days of Joshua.

Levites

⁸ The following were in charge of the singing of hymns of thanksgiving: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah.

⁹ The following formed the choir that sang the responses: Bakbukiah, Unno, and their fellow Levites.

Descendants of the High Priest Joshua

¹⁰ Joshua was the father of Joiakim; Joiakim was the father of Eliashib; Eliashib was the father of Joiada; ¹¹ Joiada was the father of Jonathan; and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

Heads of the Priestly Clans

^12-21 When Joiakim was High Priest, the following priests were the heads of the priestly clans:

Priest	Clan
Meraiah	Seraiah
Hananiah	Jeremiah
Meshullam	Ezra
Jehohanan	Amariah
Jonathan	Malluchi
Joseph	Shebaniah
Adna	Harim
Helkai	Meraioth
Zechariah	Iddo
Meshullam	Ginnethon
Zichri	Abijah
[c]	Miniamin
Piltai	Moadiah
Shammua	Bilgah
Jehonathan	Shemaiah
Mattenai	Joiarib
Uzzi	Jedaiah
Kallai	Sallai
Eber	Amok
Hashabiah	Hilkiah
Nethanel	Jedaiah

Record of the Priestly and Levite Families

²² A record was kept of the heads of the Levite families and of the priestly families during the lifetimes of the following High Priests: Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua. This record was finished when Darius was emperor of Persia.

²³ The heads of the Levite families, however, were recorded in the official records only until the time of Jonathan, the grandson of Eliashib.

Assignment of Duties in the Temple

²⁴ Under the direction of Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui,^[d] and Kadmiel, the Levites were organized into groups. Two groups at a time praised God responsively and gave thanks to him, in accordance with the instructions given by King David, the man of God.

²⁵ The following Temple guards were in charge of guarding the storerooms by the gates to the Temple: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.

²⁶ These people lived during the time of Joiakim, the son of Joshua and grandson of Jehozadak, and the time of Nehemiah the governor, and the time of Ezra, the priest who was a scholar of the Law.

¹⁴ So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols. ¹⁵ I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ^16 (A)The cup we use in the Lord's Supper and for which we give thanks to God: when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ. ¹⁷ Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf.

^18 (B)Consider the people of Israel; those who eat what is offered in sacrifice share in the altar's service to God. ¹⁹ Do I imply, then, that an idol or the food offered to it really amounts to anything? ^20 (C)No! What I am saying is that what is sacrificed on pagan altars is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be partners with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink from the Lord's cup and also from the cup of demons; you cannot eat at the Lord's table and also at the table of demons. ^22 (D)Or do we want to make the Lord jealous? Do we think that we are stronger than he?

^23 (E)“We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful. ²⁴ None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.

²⁵ You are free to eat anything sold in the meat market, without asking any questions because of your conscience. ^26 (F)For, as the scripture says, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to go, eat what is set before you, without asking any questions because of your conscience. ²⁸ But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake— ²⁹ that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience.

“Well, then,” someone asks, “why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience? ³⁰ If I thank God for my food, why should anyone criticize me about food for which I give thanks?”

³¹ Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God's glory. ³² Live in such a way as to cause no trouble either to Jews or Gentiles or to the church of God. ³³ Just do as I do; I try to please everyone in all that I do, not thinking of my own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved.

¹⁴ If someone is angry with you, a gift given secretly will calm him down.

¹⁵ When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are brought to despair.

¹⁶ Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.

The People Who Lived in Jerusalem

11 The leaders settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people drew lots to choose one family out of every ten to go and live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the rest were to live in the other cities and towns. ² The people praised anyone else who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. ^3 (A)In the other towns and cities the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple workers, and the descendants of Solomon's servants lived on their own property in their own towns.

The following is the list of the leading citizens of the province of Judah who lived in Jerusalem:

Members of the tribe of Judah

⁴ Athaiah, the son of Uzziah and grandson of Zechariah. His other ancestors included Amariah, Shephatiah, and Mahalalel, descendants of Judah's son Perez.

⁵ Maaseiah, the son of Baruch and grandson of Colhozeh. His other ancestors included Hazaiah, Adaiah, Joiarib, and Zechariah, descendants of Judah's son Shelah.

⁶ Of the descendants of Perez, 468 outstanding soldiers lived in Jerusalem.

Members of the tribe of Benjamin

⁷ Sallu, the son of Meshullam and grandson of Joed. His other ancestors included Pedaiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Ithiel, and Jeshaiah.

⁸ Gabbai and Sallai, close relatives^[a] of Sallu.

In all, 928 Benjaminites lived in Jerusalem. ⁹ Joel son of Zichri was their leader, and Judah son of Hassenuah was the second ranking official in the city.

Priests

¹⁰ Jedaiah son of Joiarib, and Jachin.

¹¹ Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah and grandson of Meshullam. His ancestors included Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub, who was the High Priest. ¹² In all, 822 members of this clan served in the Temple.

Adaiah, the son of Jeroham and grandson of Pelaliah. His ancestors included Amzi, Zechariah, Pashhur, and Malchijah. ¹³ In all, 242 members of this clan were heads of families.

Amashsai, the son of Azarel and grandson of Ahzai. His ancestors included Meshillemoth and Immer. ¹⁴ There were 128 members of this clan who were outstanding soldiers. Their leader was Zabdiel, a member of a leading family.^[b]

Levites

¹⁵ Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub and grandson of Azrikam. His ancestors included Hashabiah and Bunni.

¹⁶ Shabbethai and Jozabad, prominent Levites in charge of the work outside the Temple.

¹⁷ Mattaniah, the son of Mica and grandson of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph. He led the Temple choir in singing the prayer of thanksgiving.

Bakbukiah, who was Mattaniah's assistant.

Abda, the son of Shammua and grandson of Galal, a descendant of Jeduthun.

¹⁸ In all, 284 Levites lived in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Temple guards

¹⁹ Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, 172 in all.

²⁰ The rest of the people of Israel and the remaining priests and Levites lived on their own property in the other cities and towns of Judah. ²¹ The Temple workers lived in the part of Jerusalem called Ophel and worked under the supervision of Ziha and Gishpa.

²² The supervisor of the Levites who lived in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani and grandson of Hashabiah. His ancestors included Mattaniah and Mica, and he belonged to the clan of Asaph, the clan that was responsible for the music in the Temple services. ²³ There were royal regulations stating how the clans should take turns in leading the Temple music each day.

²⁴ Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the clan of Zerah and the tribe of Judah, represented the people of Israel at the Persian court.

The People in Other Towns and Cities

²⁵ Many of the people lived in towns near their farms. Those who were of the tribe of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba, Dibon, and Jekabzeel, and in the villages near these cities. ²⁶ They also lived in the cities of Jeshua, Moladah, Bethpelet, ²⁷ and Hazarshual, and in Beersheba and the villages around it. ²⁸ They lived in the city of Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, ²⁹ in Enrimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, ³⁰ in Zanoah, in Adullam, and in the villages near these towns. They lived in Lachish and on the farms nearby, and in Azekah and its villages. That is to say, the people of Judah lived in the territory between Beersheba in the south and Hinnom Valley in the north.

³¹ The people of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel and the nearby villages, ³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵ Lod, and Ono, and in Craftsmen's Valley. ³⁶ Some groups of Levites that had lived in the territory of Judah were assigned to live with the people of Benjamin.

List of Priests and Levites

12 The following is a list of the priests and Levites who returned from exile with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with the High Priest Joshua:

Priests

^2-7 Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.

These men were leaders among all their fellow priests in the days of Joshua.

Levites

⁸ The following were in charge of the singing of hymns of thanksgiving: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah.

⁹ The following formed the choir that sang the responses: Bakbukiah, Unno, and their fellow Levites.

Descendants of the High Priest Joshua

¹⁰ Joshua was the father of Joiakim; Joiakim was the father of Eliashib; Eliashib was the father of Joiada; ¹¹ Joiada was the father of Jonathan; and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

Heads of the Priestly Clans

^12-21 When Joiakim was High Priest, the following priests were the heads of the priestly clans:

Priest	Clan
Meraiah	Seraiah
Hananiah	Jeremiah
Meshullam	Ezra
Jehohanan	Amariah
Jonathan	Malluchi
Joseph	Shebaniah
Adna	Harim
Helkai	Meraioth
Zechariah	Iddo
Meshullam	Ginnethon
Zichri	Abijah
[c]	Miniamin
Piltai	Moadiah
Shammua	Bilgah
Jehonathan	Shemaiah
Mattenai	Joiarib
Uzzi	Jedaiah
Kallai	Sallai
Eber	Amok
Hashabiah	Hilkiah
Nethanel	Jedaiah

Record of the Priestly and Levite Families

²² A record was kept of the heads of the Levite families and of the priestly families during the lifetimes of the following High Priests: Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua. This record was finished when Darius was emperor of Persia.

²³ The heads of the Levite families, however, were recorded in the official records only until the time of Jonathan, the grandson of Eliashib.

Assignment of Duties in the Temple

²⁴ Under the direction of Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui,^[d] and Kadmiel, the Levites were organized into groups. Two groups at a time praised God responsively and gave thanks to him, in accordance with the instructions given by King David, the man of God.

²⁵ The following Temple guards were in charge of guarding the storerooms by the gates to the Temple: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.

²⁶ These people lived during the time of Joiakim, the son of Joshua and grandson of Jehozadak, and the time of Nehemiah the governor, and the time of Ezra, the priest who was a scholar of the Law.

¹⁴ So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols. ¹⁵ I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ^16 (A)The cup we use in the Lord's Supper and for which we give thanks to God: when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ. ¹⁷ Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf.

^18 (B)Consider the people of Israel; those who eat what is offered in sacrifice share in the altar's service to God. ¹⁹ Do I imply, then, that an idol or the food offered to it really amounts to anything? ^20 (C)No! What I am saying is that what is sacrificed on pagan altars is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be partners with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink from the Lord's cup and also from the cup of demons; you cannot eat at the Lord's table and also at the table of demons. ^22 (D)Or do we want to make the Lord jealous? Do we think that we are stronger than he?

^23 (E)“We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful. ²⁴ None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.

²⁵ You are free to eat anything sold in the meat market, without asking any questions because of your conscience. ^26 (F)For, as the scripture says, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to go, eat what is set before you, without asking any questions because of your conscience. ²⁸ But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake— ²⁹ that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience.

“Well, then,” someone asks, “why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience? ³⁰ If I thank God for my food, why should anyone criticize me about food for which I give thanks?”

³¹ Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God's glory. ³² Live in such a way as to cause no trouble either to Jews or Gentiles or to the church of God. ³³ Just do as I do; I try to please everyone in all that I do, not thinking of my own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved.

¹⁴ If someone is angry with you, a gift given secretly will calm him down.

¹⁵ When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are brought to despair.

¹⁶ Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.

The People Who Lived in Jerusalem

11 The leaders settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people drew lots to choose one family out of every ten to go and live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the rest were to live in the other cities and towns. ² The people praised anyone else who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. ^3 (A)In the other towns and cities the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple workers, and the descendants of Solomon's servants lived on their own property in their own towns.

The following is the list of the leading citizens of the province of Judah who lived in Jerusalem:

Members of the tribe of Judah

⁴ Athaiah, the son of Uzziah and grandson of Zechariah. His other ancestors included Amariah, Shephatiah, and Mahalalel, descendants of Judah's son Perez.

⁵ Maaseiah, the son of Baruch and grandson of Colhozeh. His other ancestors included Hazaiah, Adaiah, Joiarib, and Zechariah, descendants of Judah's son Shelah.

⁶ Of the descendants of Perez, 468 outstanding soldiers lived in Jerusalem.

Members of the tribe of Benjamin

⁷ Sallu, the son of Meshullam and grandson of Joed. His other ancestors included Pedaiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Ithiel, and Jeshaiah.

⁸ Gabbai and Sallai, close relatives^[a] of Sallu.

In all, 928 Benjaminites lived in Jerusalem. ⁹ Joel son of Zichri was their leader, and Judah son of Hassenuah was the second ranking official in the city.

Priests

¹⁰ Jedaiah son of Joiarib, and Jachin.

¹¹ Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah and grandson of Meshullam. His ancestors included Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub, who was the High Priest. ¹² In all, 822 members of this clan served in the Temple.

Adaiah, the son of Jeroham and grandson of Pelaliah. His ancestors included Amzi, Zechariah, Pashhur, and Malchijah. ¹³ In all, 242 members of this clan were heads of families.

Amashsai, the son of Azarel and grandson of Ahzai. His ancestors included Meshillemoth and Immer. ¹⁴ There were 128 members of this clan who were outstanding soldiers. Their leader was Zabdiel, a member of a leading family.^[b]

Levites

¹⁵ Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub and grandson of Azrikam. His ancestors included Hashabiah and Bunni.

¹⁶ Shabbethai and Jozabad, prominent Levites in charge of the work outside the Temple.

¹⁷ Mattaniah, the son of Mica and grandson of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph. He led the Temple choir in singing the prayer of thanksgiving.

Bakbukiah, who was Mattaniah's assistant.

Abda, the son of Shammua and grandson of Galal, a descendant of Jeduthun.

¹⁸ In all, 284 Levites lived in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Temple guards

¹⁹ Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, 172 in all.

²⁰ The rest of the people of Israel and the remaining priests and Levites lived on their own property in the other cities and towns of Judah. ²¹ The Temple workers lived in the part of Jerusalem called Ophel and worked under the supervision of Ziha and Gishpa.

²² The supervisor of the Levites who lived in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani and grandson of Hashabiah. His ancestors included Mattaniah and Mica, and he belonged to the clan of Asaph, the clan that was responsible for the music in the Temple services. ²³ There were royal regulations stating how the clans should take turns in leading the Temple music each day.

²⁴ Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the clan of Zerah and the tribe of Judah, represented the people of Israel at the Persian court.

The People in Other Towns and Cities

²⁵ Many of the people lived in towns near their farms. Those who were of the tribe of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba, Dibon, and Jekabzeel, and in the villages near these cities. ²⁶ They also lived in the cities of Jeshua, Moladah, Bethpelet, ²⁷ and Hazarshual, and in Beersheba and the villages around it. ²⁸ They lived in the city of Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, ²⁹ in Enrimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, ³⁰ in Zanoah, in Adullam, and in the villages near these towns. They lived in Lachish and on the farms nearby, and in Azekah and its villages. That is to say, the people of Judah lived in the territory between Beersheba in the south and Hinnom Valley in the north.

³¹ The people of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel and the nearby villages, ³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵ Lod, and Ono, and in Craftsmen's Valley. ³⁶ Some groups of Levites that had lived in the territory of Judah were assigned to live with the people of Benjamin.

List of Priests and Levites

12 The following is a list of the priests and Levites who returned from exile with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with the High Priest Joshua:

Priests

^2-7 Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.

These men were leaders among all their fellow priests in the days of Joshua.

Levites

⁸ The following were in charge of the singing of hymns of thanksgiving: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah.

⁹ The following formed the choir that sang the responses: Bakbukiah, Unno, and their fellow Levites.

Descendants of the High Priest Joshua

¹⁰ Joshua was the father of Joiakim; Joiakim was the father of Eliashib; Eliashib was the father of Joiada; ¹¹ Joiada was the father of Jonathan; and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

Heads of the Priestly Clans

^12-21 When Joiakim was High Priest, the following priests were the heads of the priestly clans:

Priest	Clan
Meraiah	Seraiah
Hananiah	Jeremiah
Meshullam	Ezra
Jehohanan	Amariah
Jonathan	Malluchi
Joseph	Shebaniah
Adna	Harim
Helkai	Meraioth
Zechariah	Iddo
Meshullam	Ginnethon
Zichri	Abijah
[c]	Miniamin
Piltai	Moadiah
Shammua	Bilgah
Jehonathan	Shemaiah
Mattenai	Joiarib
Uzzi	Jedaiah
Kallai	Sallai
Eber	Amok
Hashabiah	Hilkiah
Nethanel	Jedaiah

Record of the Priestly and Levite Families

²² A record was kept of the heads of the Levite families and of the priestly families during the lifetimes of the following High Priests: Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua. This record was finished when Darius was emperor of Persia.

²³ The heads of the Levite families, however, were recorded in the official records only until the time of Jonathan, the grandson of Eliashib.

Assignment of Duties in the Temple

²⁴ Under the direction of Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui,^[d] and Kadmiel, the Levites were organized into groups. Two groups at a time praised God responsively and gave thanks to him, in accordance with the instructions given by King David, the man of God.

²⁵ The following Temple guards were in charge of guarding the storerooms by the gates to the Temple: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.

²⁶ These people lived during the time of Joiakim, the son of Joshua and grandson of Jehozadak, and the time of Nehemiah the governor, and the time of Ezra, the priest who was a scholar of the Law.

¹⁴ So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols. ¹⁵ I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ^16 (A)The cup we use in the Lord's Supper and for which we give thanks to God: when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ. ¹⁷ Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf.

^18 (B)Consider the people of Israel; those who eat what is offered in sacrifice share in the altar's service to God. ¹⁹ Do I imply, then, that an idol or the food offered to it really amounts to anything? ^20 (C)No! What I am saying is that what is sacrificed on pagan altars is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be partners with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink from the Lord's cup and also from the cup of demons; you cannot eat at the Lord's table and also at the table of demons. ^22 (D)Or do we want to make the Lord jealous? Do we think that we are stronger than he?

^23 (E)“We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful. ²⁴ None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.

²⁵ You are free to eat anything sold in the meat market, without asking any questions because of your conscience. ^26 (F)For, as the scripture says, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to go, eat what is set before you, without asking any questions because of your conscience. ²⁸ But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake— ²⁹ that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience.

“Well, then,” someone asks, “why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience? ³⁰ If I thank God for my food, why should anyone criticize me about food for which I give thanks?”

³¹ Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God's glory. ³² Live in such a way as to cause no trouble either to Jews or Gentiles or to the church of God. ³³ Just do as I do; I try to please everyone in all that I do, not thinking of my own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved.

¹⁴ If someone is angry with you, a gift given secretly will calm him down.

¹⁵ When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are brought to despair.

¹⁶ Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.

The People Sign an Agreement

³⁸ Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.

10 The first to sign was the governor, Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and then Zedekiah signed. The following also signed:

Priests:

• ^2-8 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
• Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,
• Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
• Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
• Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
• Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
• Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaia.

Levites:

• ^9-13 Jeshua son of Azaniah,
• Binnui of the clan of Henadad,
• Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Hodiah,
• Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
• Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
• Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
• Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

Leaders of the people:

• ^14-27 Parosh, Pahath Moab,
• Elam, Zattu, Bani,
• Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
• Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
• Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
• Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
• Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
• Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
• Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
• Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
• Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
• Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
• Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
• Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
• Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

The Agreement

²⁸ We, the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Temple guards, the Temple musicians, the Temple workers, and all others who in obedience to God's Law have separated themselves from the foreigners living in our land, we, together with our wives and all our children old enough to understand, ²⁹ do hereby join with our leaders in an oath, under penalty of a curse if we break it, that we will live according to God's Law, which God gave through his servant Moses; that we will obey all that the Lord, our Lord, commands us; and that we will keep all his laws and requirements.

^30 (I)We will not intermarry with the foreigners living in our land.

^31 (J)If foreigners bring grain or anything else to sell to us on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will not buy from them.

Every seventh year we will not farm the land, and we will cancel all debts.

^32 (K)Every year we will each contribute one-eighth of an ounce of silver to help pay the expenses of the Temple.

³³ We will provide for the Temple worship the following: the sacred bread, the daily grain offering, the animals to be burned each day as sacrifices, the sacred offerings for Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other festivals, the other sacred offerings, the offerings to take away the sins of Israel, and anything else needed for the Temple.

³⁴ We, the people, priests, and Levites, will draw lots each year to determine which clans are to provide wood to burn the sacrifices offered to the Lord our God, according to the requirements of the Law.

^35 (L)We will take to the Temple each year an offering of the first grain we harvest and of the first fruit that ripens on our trees.

^36 (M)The first son born to each of us we will take to the priests in the Temple and there, as required by the Law, dedicate him to God. We will also dedicate the first calf born to each of our cows, and the first lamb or kid born to each of our sheep or goats.

^37 (N)We will take to the priests in the Temple the dough made from the first grain harvested each year and our other offerings of wine, olive oil, and all kinds of fruit.

We will take to the Levites, who collect tithes in our farming villages, the tithes from the crops that grow on our land. ^38 (O)Priests who are descended from Aaron are to be with the Levites when tithes are collected, and for use in the Temple the Levites are to take to the Temple storerooms one-tenth of all the tithes they collect. ³⁹ The people of Israel and the Levites are to take the contributions of grain, wine, and olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils for the Temple are kept and where the priests who are on duty, the Temple guards, and the members of the Temple choir have their quarters.

We will not neglect the house of our God.

¹⁹ I am a free man, nobody's slave; but I make myself everybody's slave in order to win as many people as possible. ²⁰ While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them. ²¹ In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don't obey God's law; I am really under Christ's law. ²² Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.

²³ All this I do for the gospel's sake, in order to share in its blessings. ²⁴ Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize. ^25 (A)Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever. ²⁶ That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. ²⁷ I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest.

Warnings against Idols

10 ^(B)I want you to remember, my friends, what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the protection of the cloud, and all passed safely through the Red Sea. ² In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized as followers of Moses. ^3 (C)All ate the same spiritual bread ^4 (D)and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself. ^5 (E)But even then God was not pleased with most of them, and so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.

^6 (F)Now, all of this is an example for us, to warn us not to desire evil things, as they did, ^7 (G)nor to worship idols, as some of them did. As the scripture says, “The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.” ^8 (H)We must not be guilty of sexual immorality, as some of them were—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them fell dead. ^9 (I)We must not put the Lord^[a] to the test, as some of them did—and they were killed by snakes. ^10 (J)We must not complain, as some of them did—and they were destroyed by the Angel of Death.

¹¹ All these things happened to them as examples for others, and they were written down as a warning for us. For we live at a time when the end is about to come.

¹² If you think you are standing firm you had better be careful that you do not fall. ^13 (K)Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

^(A)In Praise of God's Goodness^[a]

¹³ If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.

^73 (A)The priests, the Levites, the Temple guards, the musicians, many of the ordinary people, the Temple workers—all the people of Israel—settled in the towns and cities of Judah.

Ezra Reads the Law to the People

8 By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the Lord had given Israel through Moses, to get the book of the Law. ² So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered—men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand. ³ There in the square by the gate he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively.

⁴ Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. The following men stood at his right: Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and the following stood at his left: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ As Ezra stood there on the platform high above the people, they all kept their eyes fixed on him. As soon as he opened the book, they all stood up. ⁶ Ezra said, “Praise the Lord, the great God!”

All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, “Amen! Amen!” They knelt in worship, with their faces to the ground.

⁷ Then they rose and stood in their places, and the following Levites explained the Law to them: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah. ⁸ They gave an oral translation^[a] of God's Law and explained^[b] it so that the people could understand it.

⁹ When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry. So Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law, and the Levites who were explaining the Law told all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God, so you are not to mourn or cry. ¹⁰ Now go home and have a feast. Share your food and wine with those who don't have enough. Today is holy to our Lord, so don't be sad. The joy that the Lord gives you will make you strong.”

¹¹ The Levites went around calming the people and telling them not to be sad on such a holy day. ¹² So all the people went home and ate and drank joyfully and shared what they had with others, because they understood what had been read to them.

The Festival of Shelters

¹³ The next day the heads of the clans, together with the priests and the Levites, went to Ezra to study the teachings of the Law. ^14 (B)They discovered that the Law, which the Lord gave through Moses, ordered the people of Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Festival of Shelters. ¹⁵ So they gave the following instructions and sent them^[c] all through Jerusalem and the other cities and towns: “Go out to the hills and get branches from pines, olives, myrtles, palms, and other trees to make shelters according to the instructions written in the Law.”

¹⁶ So the people got branches and built shelters on the flat roofs of their houses, in their yards, in the Temple courtyard, and in the public squares by the Water Gate and by the Ephraim Gate. ¹⁷ All the people who had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. This was the first time it had been done since the days of Joshua son of Nun, and everybody was excited and happy. ¹⁸ From the first day of the festival to the last they read a part of God's Law every day. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing ceremony, as required in the Law.

The People Confess Their Sins

9 ^1-2 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month the people of Israel gathered to fast in order to show sorrow for their sins. They had already separated themselves from all foreigners. They wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads as signs of grief. Then they stood and began to confess the sins that they and their ancestors had committed. ³ For about three hours the Law of the Lord their God was read to them, and for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.

⁴ There was a platform for the Levites, and on it stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. They prayed aloud to the Lord their God.

⁵ The following Levites gave a call to worship: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said:

The Prayer of Confession

⁶ And then the people of Israel prayed this prayer:

Rights and Duties of an Apostle

9 Am I not a free man? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? And aren't you the result of my work for the Lord? ² Even if others do not accept me as an apostle, surely you do! Because of your life in union with the Lord you yourselves are proof of the fact that I am an apostle.

³ When people criticize me, this is how I defend myself: ⁴ Don't I have the right to be given food and drink for my work? ⁵ Don't I have the right to follow the example of the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Peter, by taking a Christian wife with me on my trips? ⁶ Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to work for our living? ⁷ What soldiers ever have to pay their own expenses in the army? What farmers do not eat the grapes from their own vineyard? What shepherds do not use the milk from their own sheep?

⁸ I don't have to limit myself to these everyday examples, because the Law says the same thing. ^9 (A)We read in the Law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain.” Now, is God concerned about oxen? ¹⁰ Didn't he really mean us when he said that? Of course that was written for us. Anyone who plows and anyone who reaps should do their work in the hope of getting a share of the crop. ^11 (B)We have sown spiritual seed among you. Is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹² If others have the right to expect this from you, don't we have an even greater right?

But we haven't made use of this right. Instead, we have endured everything in order not to put any obstacle in the way of the Good News about Christ. ^13 (C)Surely you know that the men who work in the Temple get their food from the Temple and that those who offer the sacrifices on the altar get a share of the sacrifices. ^14 (D)In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who preach the gospel should get their living from it.

¹⁵ But I haven't made use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this now in order to claim such rights for myself. I would rather die first! Nobody is going to turn my rightful boast into empty words! ¹⁶ I have no right to boast just because I preach the gospel. After all, I am under orders to do so. And how terrible it would be for me if I did not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ If I did my work as a matter of free choice, then I could expect to be paid; but I do it as a matter of duty, because God has entrusted me with this task. ¹⁸ What pay do I get, then? It is the privilege of preaching the Good News without charging for it, without claiming my rights in my work for the gospel.

¹¹ When someone who is conceited gets his punishment, even an unthinking person learns a lesson. One who is wise will learn from what he is taught.

¹² God, the righteous one, knows what goes on in the homes of the wicked, and he will bring the wicked down to ruin.