Author: Powered by Bible Gateway

The Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

²⁷ Now for the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites had been invited from all their places, in order to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyful dedication with both thanksgiving hymns and with songs using cymbals, harps, and lyres. ²⁸ The singers had been gathered both from the district around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, ²⁹ from Beth Gilgal, and from the countryside of Geba and Azmaveth, because the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. ³⁰ The priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

³¹ I brought the officers of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs and two groups for the procession.

One group proceeded south on top of the west wall toward the Dung Gate. ³² Behind them went Hoshaiah and half of the officers of Judah, ³³ also Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, ³⁴ Judah and Benjamin, and Shemaiah and Jeremiah, ³⁵ as well as some of the priests with trumpets, namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, ³⁶ and his relatives Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Ma’ai, Nethanel, and Judah, and Hanani with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led them. ³⁷ From the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps to the City of David, by the ascent to the wall which was above David’s house and over the Water Gate on the east.^[a]

³⁸ The second thanksgiving choir was assigned to go in the opposite direction. Both I and half of the people were behind it on top of the wall. They went over the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, ³⁹ and over the Ephraim Gate (that is, over the Old Gate), and over the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, and up to the Sheep Gate, and they stood at the Guard’s Gate.

⁴⁰ The two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, as did I and half of the officials with me, ⁴¹ as well as the priests: Eliakim, Ma’aseiah, Miniamin, Mikaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with trumpets, ⁴² and Ma’aseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, and Malkijah, and Elam, and Ezer. Then the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. ⁴³ That day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard a long way away.

⁴⁴ That day men were appointed as supervisors over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, in order to gather the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites from the fields^[b] of the towns, because Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who carried out their duties. ⁴⁵ They and the singers and the gatekeepers continued the service of their God and the service of purification, according to the command of David and his son Solomon, ⁴⁶ because formerly in the days of David and Asaph, Asaph was the head of the singers and of songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel continued to give the required portions for the singers and the gatekeepers daily. They would set apart that portion which was for the Levites, and the Levites would set apart that portion which was for the descendants of Aaron.

Enforcing the Terms of the Covenant

13 On that day, when the Book of Moses was being read in the hearing of the people, it was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever come into the assembled congregation of God, ² because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God had turned the curse into a blessing. ³ As the people heard the Law, they separated everyone of mixed foreign descent from Israel.

⁴ But before this, the priest Eliashib, who had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, ⁵ had provided a large storeroom for him.

Previously they had been putting the offerings, the incense, and the vessels, as well as the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil there. This had been done according to the command concerning the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

⁶ But when all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone to the king. Then sometime later, I asked the king for permission to return, ⁷ and I came back to Jerusalem. Then I found out about the evil thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by providing a room for him in the courtyards of the house of God. ⁸ This was very offensive to me, so I threw all of Tobiah’s household property out of the storeroom. ⁹ I gave orders to purify the storerooms, and I restored the articles of the house of God, the offerings, and the incense.

¹⁰ Then I learned that the portions for the Levites had not been distributed and that the Levites and singers who performed the work of God’s house all had gone back to their own fields. ¹¹ I accused the officials and said, “Why has the house of God been abandoned?” So I gathered them and stationed them at their places. ¹² Then all Judah brought the tithes of grain and new wine and olive oil to the storerooms. ¹³ I appointed treasurers in charge of the storerooms: the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, Pedaiah from the Levites, and as their assistant, Hanan the son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, because they were considered to be trustworthy. It was their responsibility to distribute the portions to their relatives.

¹⁴ Remember me, my God, because of this, and do not wipe away my faithful deeds, which I have done for the sake of the house of my God and for the sake of its services.

¹⁵ In those days I saw in Judah some people who were treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, and figs and all kinds of loads, and then bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath. So I warned them on the day when they were selling food.

¹⁶ Moreover, some people from Tyre lived in the city. They were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling it on the Sabbath to the Jews—even in Jerusalem! ¹⁷ So I accused the Judean nobles and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, by which you are profaning the Sabbath day? ¹⁸ Didn’t your ancestors do this, and as a result our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? You are adding more to his wrath by profaning the Sabbath.”

¹⁹ As it began to grow dark within the gates of Jerusalem before the beginning of the Sabbath, I gave orders to close the doors and not to open them until after the Sabbath. I also stationed some of my servants at the gates to ensure that no load would come in on the Sabbath day. ²⁰ Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside of Jerusalem. ²¹ However, I warned them and said to them, “Why are you spending the night next to the wall? If you do this again, I will use force against you.” From that time onward they did not come on the Sabbath. ²² Then I told the Levites that they should purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to sanctify the Sabbath day.

Remember this also in my favor, my God, and spare me according to your great faithfulness.

²³ Also in those days I saw the Judeans who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. ²⁴ Half of their children spoke the dialect of Ashdod or the language of other peoples and were not able to understand how to speak Judean. ²⁵ So I accused them and cursed them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath by God: “May God punish us if we give our daughters to their sons or if we take some of their daughters for our sons or for ourselves.”

²⁶ I said, “Wasn’t it because of these foreign wives that King Solomon of Israel sinned, although there was no king like him among the many nations? He was loved by his God, and God placed him as king over all Israel. Yet foreign wives made even him sin. ²⁷ Should we listen to you and be led to do all this great evil, so that we end up being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”

²⁸ One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I chased him away from me.

²⁹ Remember them, my God, because of their defiling of the priesthood and because of the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

³⁰ So I purified them of everything foreign, and I established duties for the priests and the Levites—each man had his own work. ³¹ I also provided wood for the offerings at the appropriate times and for the offerings of the firstfruits.

Remember me, my God, for good.

11 ¹ Be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ.

Concerning Head Coverings at Worship

² I praise you, brothers,^[a] for remembering me in all things and holding firmly to the teachings^[b] as I delivered them to you. ³ However, I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and man is woman’s head, and God is Christ’s head. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with a covering hanging down from his head dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing as being a woman with a shaved head. ⁶ Indeed, if a woman does not wear a head covering, she should cut off her hair too. But if it is shameful for a woman to cut off her hair or shave her head, she should wear a head covering.

⁷ For a man ought not to wear a head covering, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is man’s glory. ⁸ For man is not from woman, but woman from man, ⁹ and man was not created for the woman, but woman for the man. ¹⁰ For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head,^[c] because of the angels.

¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² For as woman came from man, so also man comes through woman, and all things are from God.

¹³ Judge for yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Doesn’t the nature of things itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is disgraceful for him, ¹⁵ whereas if a woman has long hair, it is glorious for her? For her long hair has been given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone is inclined to be contentious—we have no such custom, and neither do God’s churches.

Psalm 35

David’s Defender

Heading
By David.

Opening Prayer

First Petition

First Vow

The Attacks of the Wicked

New Residents for Jerusalem

11 The people’s officials lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to choose one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in their own cities. ² The people blessed all those who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

From the descendants of Judah:

⁷ These are the descendants of Benjamin:

¹⁰ From the priests:

¹⁵ From the Levites:

¹⁹ These are the gatekeepers:

²⁵ This is the information about the villages with their fields:

Some of the descendants of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, and in Jekabze’el and its settlements, ²⁶ and in Jeshua, in Moladah, and in Beth Pelet, ²⁷ and in Hazar Shual, and in Beersheba and its settlements, ²⁸ and in Ziklag, and in Mekonah and in its settlements, ²⁹ and in En Rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth, ³⁰ Zanoah and Adullam and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its settlements. So they settled from Beersheba to the Hinnom Valley.

³¹ Some of the descendants of Benjamin were from Geba, Mikmash, Aijah, and Bethel and its settlements, ³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³ Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴ Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵ Lod, and Ono, and the Valley of the Craftsmen. ³⁶ Some of the Levite divisions of Judah were assigned to Benjamin.

Legitimate Servants for the Temple

12 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua:

The Succession of Priests

¹² Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests who were the heads of the families were as follows:

²² In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded by the heads of families,^[b] as were the priests, until the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³ The descendants of Levi who were heads of families were recorded in the book of the chronicles, down to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

The Table of the Lord and the Table of Demons

¹⁴ Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak to you as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion^[a] of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion^[b] of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel.^[c] Those who eat the sacrifices are partners of the altar, aren’t they? ¹⁹ So what am I saying? That food from idol sacrifices is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but I do say this: What the Gentiles sacrifice, “they sacrifice to demons, and not to God,”^[d] and I do not want you to become partners of demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. ²² Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he is?

Live for the Good of Others and for the Glory of God

²³ “Everything is permitted”^[e]—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permitted”—but not everything builds up. ²⁴ Let no one seek his own good, but that of others. ²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without asking questions for the sake of conscience. ²⁶ For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”^{[f] 27} If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat whatever you are served without asking questions for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This is from a sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.^{[g] 29} I mean the other person’s conscience, not your own. For why is my freedom judged by someone else’s conscience? ³⁰ If I eat the food with thankfulness, why am I criticized for something for which I give thanks?

³¹ So whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, do everything to the glory of God. ³² Do not give offense to Jews, or Greeks, or God’s church, ³³ just as I also try to please all people in all things, by not seeking what is best for me but for the many, so that they may be saved.

The Solemn Agreement^[a]

10 So in all this we are making a solemn agreement and putting it in writing and attaching the seals of our officials, Levites, and priests.

These were the men who placed their seals on it:

⁹ The Levites were:

¹⁴ The heads of the people were:

²⁸ Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and every person who had separated himself from the peoples of the lands for the sake of the Law of God, with their wives, their sons, and their daughters—all the people who have knowledge and understanding— ²⁹ are making a commitment with their brothers, that is, with the important people, and they are placing themselves under a curse and under an oath to walk in the Law of God that was given through Moses the servant of God, an oath to keep the law and to obey all the commands of the Lord our God and his judgments and his statutes.

The Terms of the Agreement

³⁰ We promise to keep these points:

We will not give our daughters in marriage to the peoples of the land, and we will not take their daughters for marriage to our sons.

³¹ We will not buy anything from the peoples of the land who are bringing goods and all kinds of grain to sell on the Sabbath day or on a holy day.

We will leave the land fallow during the seventh year, and we will forgive every loan.

³² We will each assume the responsibility to keep the commands to give a third of a shekel per year for the service of the house of our God, ³³ for the Bread of the Presence, for the regular daily grain offerings, the continual burnt offerings, the Sabbath offerings, the New Moon offerings, for the appointed festivals and holy offerings, and for sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

³⁴ We—the priests, the Levites, and the people—have cast lots to determine our turns for each fathers’ house^[b] to bring the wood offering to the house of our God, at the appointed times each year, to be burned upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

³⁵ We pledge to bring the firstfruits of our land and the firstfruits of every kind of fruit tree to the house of our God for ourselves. ³⁶ We also will bring the firstborn of our sons and our animals, as is written in the Law, and we will bring the firstborn of our cattle and flocks to the house of our God for the priests who serve in the house of our God, ³⁷ and we will bring the first of our dough and our contributions and the fruit of every tree. We will bring new wine and olive oil to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God, and we will bring the tithe from our land to the Levites. It is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work. ³⁸ A priest, a descendant of Aaron, will be with the Levites when the Levites collect the tithes. The Levites will bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the chambers of the treasury, ³⁹ because the Israelites and the sons of Levi are to bring the contribution from the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are kept, where the priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers serve.

In this way we will not abandon the house of our God.

¹⁹ In fact, although I am free from all, I enslaved myself to all so that I might gain many more. ²⁰ To the Jews, I became like a Jew so that I might gain Jews. To those who are under the law, I became like a person under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might gain those who are under the law. ²¹ To those who are without the law, I became like a person without the law (though I am not without God’s law but am within the law of Christ) so that I might gain those who are without the law. ²² To the weak, I became weak so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all people so that I may save at least some. ²³ And I do everything for the sake of the gospel so that I may share in it along with others.

Christian Effort and Self-Discipline

²⁴ Do you not know that when runners compete in the stadium, they all run, but only one receives the prize? Run like that—to win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable victor’s wreath, but we do it for an imperishable one. ²⁶ That is why there is nothing aimless about the way I run. There is no pummeling of the air in the way I box. ²⁷ Instead I hit my body hard and make it my slave so that, after preaching to others, I myself will not be rejected.

A Lesson From Sacred History: Be Careful Not to Fall

10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, ² and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them—and that rock was Christ! ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. He had them die in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things took place as examples to warn us not to desire evil things the way they did. ⁷ Do not become idolaters like some of them—as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to celebrate wildly.”^{[a] 8} And let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. ⁹ Let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and so were being destroyed by the serpents. ¹⁰ And do not grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ All^[b] these things that were happening to them had meaning as examples, and they were written down to warn us, to whom the end of the ages has come.

¹² So let him who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall. ¹³ No testing has overtaken you except ordinary testing. But God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability, but when he tests you, he will also bring about the outcome that you are able to bear it.

Psalm 34

Blessed Is the Person Who Takes Refuge in God

Heading

By David. When he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelek, who drove him away, and David left.^[a]

David’s Thanks for Deliverance

An Invitation to Join David in Praise

The Story of David’s Deliverance

The Application of This Truth to All Believers

Ezra Reads the Law of Moses

8 When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their cities,^[a] all the people gathered together at the public square that is in front of the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. ² So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the congregation, both men and women and all who were able to understand what they heard. ³ From dawn until midday in front of the public square in front of the Water Gate, he read from the scroll, while facing the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. ⁴ Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that was made for the occasion. Beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Ma’aseiah on his right, and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ All the people could see Ezra as he opened the scroll, because he was elevated above all the people. As he opened the scroll, all the people stood. ⁶ Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” while they lifted up their hands and then knelt and bowed down with their faces to the ground.

⁷ Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Ma’aseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the rest of the Levites helped the people understand the Law, while the people remained standing in their places. ⁸ So they read from the Book of the Law of God clearly and interpreted it, and the people understood what was read.^[b]

⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who helped the people understand, said to all the people, “Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or cry!” because all the people were crying as they heard the words of the Law. ¹⁰ Nehemiah said to them, “Go, eat rich food and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, because today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹ Then the Levites silenced all the people, saying, “Hush! Today is holy. Do not grieve.”

¹² All the people went to eat and drink and to send portions to others and to celebrate with great joy, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.

Ezra Leads the Study of the Law of Moses

¹³ Now on the second day, the heads of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law. ¹⁴ They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the Israelites should dwell in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month, ¹⁵ and that they should proclaim this and make this announcement in all their cities and in Jerusalem: “Go out to the mountains and bring branches from olive trees, wild olive trees, myrtle bushes, date palms, and leafy trees to make shelters, as it is written.”

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought branches and made shelters for themselves. Each man made a shelter on his roof. They also made shelters in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the square by the Water Gate, and in the square by the Ephraim Gate. ¹⁷ The entire congregation that had returned from the captivity made shelters and stayed in the shelters. From the days of Joshua^[c] son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated in this way, because there was very great joy. ¹⁸ Ezra also read from the Book of the Law of God every day of the festival, from the first day to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly according to the ordinance.

Worship and the Reading of the Law

9 On the twenty-fourth day of this same month, the Israelites gathered together. They were fasting and wearing sackcloth, and they had dirt on their faces.^{[d] 2} Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and confessed their sins and the guilt of their ancestors. ³ They stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and for another quarter they confessed their sins and worshipped the Lord their God.

⁴ Then Jeshua and Bani,^[e] Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani stood on the stairs for the Levites and cried out in a loud voice to the Lord their God. ⁵ The Levites Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said,

What Paul Does With His Rights and Freedom

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus, our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, yet at least I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ This is my defense to those who examine me. ⁴ Do we not have a right to eat and to drink? ⁵ Do we not have a right to take along a wife who is a believer, as the rest of the apostles do, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?^{[a] 6} Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have no right to be spared from manual labor? ⁷ What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat some of its fruit? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink milk from the flock? ⁸ Am I saying this just from a human point of view? Doesn’t the law also say this? ⁹ Yes, it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain.”^[b] Is God really concerned about oxen, ¹⁰ or does he say this entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher ought to thresh in hope of getting a share. ¹¹ If we sowed spiritual seed for your good, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹² If others have some right to make this claim on you, don’t we even more? But we did not use this right. Instead, we endure everything so as not to cause any hindrance for the gospel of Christ.

¹³ Do you not know that those who do the work in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who attend to the altar receive a portion from what is on the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel are to receive their living from the gospel. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things.

I am not writing this to have it done this way in my case, because it is better for me to die than to let anyone deprive me of my boast. ¹⁶ You see, if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, because an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ If I do this as a volunteer, I receive compensation. But if not, I have been entrusted with a responsibility as a steward. ¹⁸ What then is my compensation? To present the gospel of Christ^[c] free of charge when I preach it, instead of making use of the right I have when I preach the gospel.

Concluding Prayer

Good and Bad Governors

¹⁴ Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes^(A) appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years^(B)—I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. ¹⁵ The governors^(C) who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them food and wine as well as a pound^[a] of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but because of the fear of God, I didn’t do this.^{(D) 16} Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of this wall,^(E) and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.^(F)

¹⁷ There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table.^{(G) 18} Each^[b] day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every ten days.^(H) But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

¹⁹ Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.^(I)

Attempts to Discourage the Builders

6 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies^(J) heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it^(K)—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gates^(L)— ² Sanballat and Geshem^(M) sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of^[c] the Ono Valley.”^(N) They were planning to harm me.

³ So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” ⁴ Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.

⁵ Sanballat^(O) sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. ⁶ In it was written:

It is reported among the nations—and Geshem^[d](P) agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king ⁷ and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.”^(Q) These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together.

⁸ Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”^{(R) 9} For they were all trying to intimidate^(S) us, saying, “They will drop their hands from^[e] the work,^(T) and it will never be finished.”

But now, my God, strengthen my hands.^(U)

Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah

¹⁰ I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:

¹¹ But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live?^(V) I will not go.” ¹² I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat^(W) had hired him. ¹³ He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,^(X) do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.

¹⁴ My God, remember^(Y) Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah^(Z) and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.

The Wall Completed

¹⁵ The wall was completed^(AA) in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.^{(AB) 16} When all our enemies^(AC) heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated^(AD) and lost their confidence,^[g] for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.^(AE)

¹⁷ During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,^(AF) and Tobiah’s letters came to them. ¹⁸ For many in Judah were bound by oath^(AG) to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam^(AH) son of Berechiah. ¹⁹ These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate^(AI) me.

The Exiles Return

7 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed,^(AJ) the gatekeepers,^(AK) singers, and Levites were appointed. ² Then I put my brother Hanani^(AL) in charge of Jerusalem,^(AM) along with Hananiah,^(AN) commander of the fortress,^(AO) because he was a faithful man who feared God^(AP) more than most. ³ I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”^(AQ)

⁴ The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.^{(AR) 5} Then my God put it into my mind^(AS) to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:^(AT)

⁶ These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar^(AU) of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town.^{(AV) 7} They came with Zerubbabel,^(AW) Jeshua,^(AX) Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The number of the Israelite men included^[h]

8 Parosh’s descendants(AY)	2,172
9 Shephatiah’s descendants	372
10 Arah’s descendants	652
11 Pahath-moab’s descendants:
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants	2,818
12 Elam’s descendants	1,254
13 Zattu’s descendants	845
14 Zaccai’s descendants	760
15 Binnui’s descendants	648
16 Bebai’s descendants	628
17 Azgad’s descendants	2,322
18 Adonikam’s descendants(AZ)	667
19 Bigvai’s descendants	2,067
20 Adin’s descendants(BA)	655
21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah	98
22 Hashum’s descendants	328
23 Bezai’s descendants	324
24 Hariph’s descendants	112
25 Gibeon’s[i] descendants	95
26 Bethlehem’s(BB) and Netophah’s(BC) men	188
27 Anathoth’s(BD) men	128
28 Beth-azmaveth’s men	42
29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men	743
30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men	621
31 Michmas’s men	122
32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men(BE)	123
33 the other Nebo’s men	52
34 the other Elam’s people	1,254
35 Harim’s people	320
36 Jericho’s people(BF)	345
37 Lod’s,(BG) Hadid’s, and Ono’s people	721
38 Senaah’s people	3,930.

³⁹ The priests included

Jedaiah’s(BH) descendants of the house of Jeshua	973
40 Immer’s descendants	1,052
41 Pashhur’s descendants	1,247
42 Harim’s descendants	1,017.

⁴³ The Levites^(BI) included

Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel
Hodevah’s descendants	74.

⁴⁴ The singers^(BJ) included

Asaph’s descendants

148.

⁴⁵ The gatekeepers^(BK) included

Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants,
Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants,
Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants	138.

⁴⁶ The temple servants^(BL) included

⁵⁷ The descendants of Solomon’s servants^(BM) included

60 All the temple servants
and the descendants of Solomon’s servants(BN)	392.

⁶¹ The following^(BO) are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families^[k] and their lineage were Israelite:

62 Delaiah’s descendants,
Tobiah’s descendants,
and Nekoda’s descendants	642

⁶³ and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name. ⁶⁴ These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. ⁶⁵ The governor^(BP) ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.^(BQ)

66 The whole combined assembly numbered	42,360
67 not including their 7,337 male and female servants,
as well as their 245 male and female singers.
68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,[l]
69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.(BR)

⁷⁰ Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins,^[m] 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. ⁷¹ Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project. ⁷² The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. ⁷³ The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.^(BS)

Public Reading of the Law

When the seventh month^(BT) came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,

Food Offered to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:^(A) We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up,^(B) but love^(C) builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.^{(D) 3} But if anyone loves God,^(E) he is known^(F) by him.

⁴ About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,”^[a] and that “there is no God but one.”^{(G) 5} For even if there are so-called gods,^(H) whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— ⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father.^(I) All things are from him,^(J) and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.^(K)

⁷ However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Food will not bring us close to God.^[b] We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.^{(L) 9} But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block^(M) to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged^[c] to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died,^(N) is ruined^[d](O) by your knowledge.^{(P) 12} Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat,^(Q) so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.

Psalm 33

Praise to the Creator

¹⁵ Shallun^[a] son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate.^(A) He rebuilt it and roofed it. Then he installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also made repairs to the wall of the Pool of Shelah^(B) near the king’s garden,^(C) as far as the stairs that descend from the city of David.^(D)

¹⁶ After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur,^(E) made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David,^(F) as far as the artificial pool^(G) and the House of the Warriors.^{(H) 17} Next to him the Levites^(I) made repairs under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah,^(J) made repairs for his district. ¹⁸ After him their fellow Levites made repairs under Binnui^[b] son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. ¹⁹ Next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, made repairs to another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle.^(K)

The Angle, Water Gate, and Tower on Ophel

²⁰ After him Baruch son of Zabbai^[c] diligently repaired another section, from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib.^{(L) 21} Beside him Meremoth^(M) son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs to another section, from the door of Eliashib’s^(N) house to the end of his house. ²² And next to him the priests from the surrounding area made repairs.

²³ After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. Beside them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. ²⁴ After him Binnui^(O) son of Henadad made repairs to another section, from the house of Azariah to the Angle and the corner. ²⁵ Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the Angle and tower that juts out from the king’s upper palace,^[d](P) by the courtyard of the guard.^(Q) Beside him Pedaiah son of Parosh ²⁶ and the temple servants^(R) living on Ophel^(S) made repairs opposite the Water Gate^(T) toward the east and the tower that juts out. ²⁷ Next to him the Tekoites^(U) made repairs to another section from a point opposite the great tower that juts out, as far as the wall of Ophel.^(V)

Horse Gate, Inspection Gate, and Sheep Gate

²⁸ Each of the priests made repairs above the Horse Gate,^(W) each opposite his own house. ²⁹ After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. And beside him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard of the East Gate, made repairs. ³⁰ Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph made repairs to another section.

After them Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his room. ³¹ Next to him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths,^(X) made repairs to the house of the temple servants^(Y) and the merchants, opposite the Inspection^[e] Gate, and as far as the upstairs room on the corner. ³² The goldsmiths^(Z) and merchants made repairs between the upstairs room on the corner and the Sheep Gate.^(AA)

Progress in Spite of Opposition

4 When Sanballat^(AB) heard that we were rebuilding the wall,^(AC) he became furious. He mocked the Jews^{(AD) 2} before his colleagues and the powerful men^[f] of Samaria^(AE) and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones^(AF) back to life from the mounds of rubble?” ^{(AG) 3} Then Tobiah the Ammonite,^(AH) who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox^(AI) climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”

⁴ Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. ⁵ Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered^[g] the builders.^(AJ)

⁶ So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.^(AK)

⁷ When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs,^(AL) Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed,^(AM) they became furious.^{(AN) 8} They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. ⁹ So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.

¹⁰ In Judah, it was said:^[h]

¹¹ And our enemies said, “They won’t realize it^[i] until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.” ¹² When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again,^[j] “Everywhere you turn, they attack^[k] us.” ¹³ So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. ¹⁴ After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,^(AO) “Don’t be afraid of them.^(AP) Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”^(AQ)

Sword and Trowel

¹⁵ When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. ¹⁶ From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor.^(AR) The officers supported all the people of Judah, ¹⁷ who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. ¹⁸ Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the one who sounded the ram’s horn was beside me. ¹⁹ Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,^(AS) “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.^{(AT) 20} Wherever you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” ^{(AU) 21} So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. ²² At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” ²³ And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.^[l]

Social Injustice

5 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. ² Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” ³ Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.”^{(AV) 4} Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax^(AW) on our fields and vineyards.^{(AX) 5} We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery.^(AY) Some of our daughters are already enslaved,^(AZ) but we are powerless^[m] because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

⁶ I became extremely angry^(BA) when I heard their outcry and these complaints. ⁷ After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.”^(BB) So I called a large assembly against them ⁸ and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.”^(BC) They remained silent and could not say a word.^{(BD) 9} Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God^(BE) and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?^{(BF) 10} Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let’s stop charging this interest.^{[n] 11} Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage^[o] of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil^(BG) that you have been assessing them.”

¹² They responded, “We will return these things and require nothing more from them.^(BH) We will do as you say.”

So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath^(BI) to do this. ¹³ I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out^(BJ) and have nothing!”

The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.^(BK)

About the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ Now about virgins:^[a] I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(A) is faithful.^{(B) 26} Because of the present distress, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ However, if you do get married,^(C) you have not sinned, and if a virgin^[b] marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life,^[c] and I am trying to spare you.

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time is limited,^(D) so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, ³⁰ those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice^(E) as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they didn’t own anything, ³¹ and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.^(F)

³² I want you to be without concerns. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may please^(G) the Lord. ³³ But the married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord,^(H) so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. ³⁵ I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

³⁶ If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels he should marry—he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. ³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will^(I)) and has decided in his heart to keep her as his fiancée, will do well. ³⁸ So, then, he who marries his fiancée does well, but he who does not marry will do better.^[d]

³⁹ A wife is bound^[e] as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

Of David. A Maskil.

1 The words of Nehemiah^(A) son of Hacaliah:

News from Jerusalem

During the month of Chislev^(B) in the twentieth year,^(C) when I was in the fortress city of Susa,^{(D) 2} Hanani,^(E) one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant^(F) that had survived the exile.^{(G) 3} They said to me, “The remnant in the province,^(H) who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.”^(I)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

⁴ When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying^(J) before the God of the heavens.^{(K) 5} I said,^(L)

Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him^(M) and keep his commands,^{(N) 6} let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive^(O) to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night^(P) for your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins^[a] we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned.^{(Q) 7} We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses.^{(R) 8} Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.^{(S) 9} But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon,^[b] I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.”^{(T) 10} They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand.^{(U) 11} Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive^(V) to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today,^(W) and grant him compassion in the presence of this man.^[c](X)

At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.^(Y)

Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem

2 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,^(Z) when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, ² so the king said to me, “Why do you look so sad,^(AA) when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.”^(AB)

I was overwhelmed with fear ³ and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I^[d] not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” ^(AC)

⁴ Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”

So I prayed to the God of the heavens^{(AD) 5} and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried,^[e](AE) so that I may rebuild it.”^(AF)

⁶ The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time,^(AG) and it pleased the king to send me.

⁷ I also said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River,^(AH) so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.^{(AI) 8} And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress,^(AJ) the city wall, and the home where I will live.”^[f](AK) The king granted my requests, for the gracious hand of my God was on me.^(AL)

⁹ I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters.^(AM) The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me. ¹⁰ When Sanballat the Horonite^(AN) and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to pursue the prosperity of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.^(AO)

Preparing to Rebuild the Walls

¹¹ After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,^{(AP) 12} I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took^[g] was the one I was riding. ¹³ I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s^[h] Well and the Dung Gate,^(AQ) and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.^{(AR) 14} I went on to the Fountain Gate^(AS) and the King’s Pool,^(AT) but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through. ¹⁵ So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate^(AU) and returned. ¹⁶ The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work. ¹⁷ So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned.^(AV) Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall,^(AW) so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” ¹⁸ I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me,^(AX) and what the king had said to me.

They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened^[i] to do this good work.

¹⁹ When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official,^(AY) and Geshem the Arab^(AZ) heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

²⁰ I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”^(BA)

Rebuilding the Walls

3 The high priest Eliashib^(BB) and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate.^(BC) They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel,^(BD) they dedicated it. ² The men of Jericho^(BE) built next to Eliashib,^(BF) and next to them Zaccur son of Imri built.

Fish Gate

³ The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate.^(BG) They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.^{(BH) 4} Next to them Meremoth^(BI) son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Beside them Meshullam^(BJ) son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. ⁵ Beside them the Tekoites^(BK) made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help^[j] their supervisors.

Old Gate, Broad Wall, and Tower of the Ovens

⁶ Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old^[k] Gate.^(BL) They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. ⁷ Next to them the repairs were done by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon^(BM) and Mizpah, who were under the authority^[l](BN) of the governor^(BO) of the region west of the Euphrates River.^{(BP) 8} After him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, the goldsmith,^(BQ) made repairs, and next to him Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.^(BR)

⁹ Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. ¹⁰ After them Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house.^(BS) Next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. ¹¹ Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab made repairs to another section, as well as to the Tower of the Ovens.^{(BT) 12} Beside him Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs—he and his daughters.

Valley Gate, Dung Gate, and Fountain Gate

¹³ Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired five hundred yards^[m] of the wall to the Dung Gate.^{(BU) 14} Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem,^(BV) repaired the Dung Gate.^(BW) He rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.

Principles of Marriage

7 Now in response to the matters you wrote^[a] about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”^{[b] 2} But because sexual immorality is so common,^[c](A) each man should have sexual relations with his own wife,^(B) and each woman should have sexual relations with her own husband. ³ A husband should fulfill his marital duty^(C) to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. ⁴ A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive^(D) one another—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to^[d] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ I say this as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own gift^(E) from God, one person has this gift, another has that.

A Word to the Unmarried

⁸ I say to the unmarried^[e] and to widows:^(F) It is good for them if they remain as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control,^(G) they should marry, since it is better to marry^(H) than to burn with desire.

About Married People

¹⁰ To the married I give this command^(I)—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave^[f] her husband. ¹¹ But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to divorce his wife.^{(J) 12} But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brother^(K) has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is made holy^(L) by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband.^[g] Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you^[h] to live in peace. ¹⁶ Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.^[i]

Various Situations of Life

¹⁷ Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called^(M) him.^[j] This is what I command in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters. ²⁰ Let each of you remain in the situation^[k] in which he was called. ²¹ Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.^{[l] 22} For he who is called by the Lord as a slave^(N) is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. ²³ You were bought^(O) at a price; do not become slaves of people. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person is to remain with God in the situation in which he was called.

Sending Away Foreign Wives

10 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown^(A) before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.^{(B) 2} Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel,^(C) an Elamite, responded to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples,^(D) but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. ³ Therefore, let’s make a covenant before our God^(E) to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God.^(F) Let it be done according to the law. ⁴ Get up, for this matter is your responsibility,^(G) and we support you. Be strong and take action!” ^(H)

⁵ Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath.^{(I) 6} Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.^[a] He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.^(J)

⁷ They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. ⁸ Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions,^[b] according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded^(K) from the assembly of the exiles.

⁹ So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God,^(L) trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. ¹⁰ Then the priest Ezra stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.^{(M) 11} Therefore, make a confession to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.”

¹² Then all the assembly responded loudly, “Yes, we will do as you say! ¹³ But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don’t have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter. ¹⁴ Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the fierce anger of our God^(N) concerning^[c] this matter.” ¹⁵ Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam^(O) and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

¹⁶ The exiles did what had been proposed. The priest Ezra selected men^[d] who were family heads, all identified by name, to represent^[e] their ancestral families.^[f] They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter, ¹⁷ and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Married to Foreign Wives

¹⁸ The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests:

²³ The Levites:^(T)

²⁴ The singers:^(U)

The gatekeepers:^(V)

²⁵ The Israelites:^(W)

⁴⁴ All of these^(AH) had married foreign women, and some of the wives had given birth to children.^(AI)

Lawsuits among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court^(A) before the unrighteous,^[a] and not before the saints? ² Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? ³ Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? ⁴ So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing^(B) in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame!^(C) Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers?^{(D) 6} Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!^(E)

⁷ As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you.^(F) Why not rather be wronged?^(G) Why not rather be cheated?^{(H) 8} Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and you do this to brothers and sisters! ⁹ Don’t you know that the unrighteous^(I) will not inherit God’s kingdom?^(J) Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters,^(K) adulterers,^(L) or males who have sex with males,^{[b](M) 10} no thieves,^(N) greedy^(O) people, drunkards, verbally abusive people,^(P) or swindlers^(Q) will inherit God’s kingdom. ¹¹ And some of you used to be like this.^(R) But you were washed, you were sanctified,^(S) you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Glorifying God in Body and Spirit

¹² “Everything is permissible^(T) for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food^(U) is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality^(V) but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.^{(W) 15} Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body?^(X) So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh.^{[c](Y) 17} But anyone joined^(Z) to the Lord is one spirit^(AA) with him.

¹⁸ Flee^(AB) sexual immorality! Every other sin^[d] a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral^(AC) sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple^(AD) of the Holy Spirit^(AE) who is in you,^(AF) whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought^(AG) at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[e]

Preparing to Return

²¹ I proclaimed a fast^(A) by the Ahava River,^[a] so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions. ²² I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.”^{(B) 23} So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.

²⁴ I selected twelve of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah,^(C) Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers. ²⁵ I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles—the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered. ²⁶ I weighed out to them 24 tons^[b] of silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds,^[c] 7,500 pounds of gold, ²⁷ twenty gold bowls worth a thousand gold coins,^[d] and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.^{(D) 28} Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering^(E) to the Lord God of your ancestors. ²⁹ Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the Lord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.” ³⁰ So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring them to the house of our God in Jerusalem.^(F)

Arrival in Jerusalem

³¹ We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God,^[e](G) and he kept us from the grasp of the enemy and from ambush along the way.^{(H) 32} So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.^{(I) 33} On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites Jozabad^(J) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them. ³⁴ Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.

³⁵ The exiles who had returned from the captivity^(K) offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, and seventy-seven lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for the Lord.^{(L) 36} They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates,^(M) so that they would support the people and the house of God.^(N)

Israel’s Intermarriage

9 After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves^(O) from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices^(P) are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.^{(Q) 2} Indeed, the Israelite men^[f] have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed^(R) has become mixed with the surrounding peoples.^(S) The leaders^[g] and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!” ^{(T) 3} When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.^(U)

Ezra’s Confession

⁴ Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel^(V) gathered around me, because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles,^(W) while I sat devastated until the evening offering.^{(X) 5} At the evening offering, I got up from my time of humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.^{(Y) 6} And I said:^(Z)

My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens.^{(AA) 7} Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our ancestors until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame,^(AB) as it is today. ⁸ But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the Lord our God to preserve a remnant^(AC) for us and give us a stake^(AD) in his holy place. Even in our slavery, God has given us a little relief and light to our eyes.^{(AE) 9} Though we are slaves,^(AF) our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings,^(AG) giving us relief, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,^(AH) to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰ Now, our God, what can we say in light of^[h] this? For we have abandoned the commands ¹¹ you gave through your servants the prophets, saying, “The land you are entering to possess is an impure land. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and detestable practices.^{(AI) 12} So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons.^(AJ) Never pursue their welfare or prosperity,^(AK) so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.” ¹³ After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt—though you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive^[i](AL)— ¹⁴ should we break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these detestable practices?^(AM) Wouldn’t you become so angry with us that you would destroy us, leaving neither remnant nor survivor?^{(AN) 15} Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we survive as a remnant^(AO) today. Here we are before you with our guilt, though no one can stand in your presence because of this.^(AP)

Immoral Church Members

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality^(A) among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated^[a] among the Gentiles^(B)—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(C) 2} And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief^(D) and remove from your congregation the one who did this? ³ Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit.^(E) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^(F) so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.^(G)

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven^[b](H) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(I) 7} Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb^(J) has been sacrificed.^{[c] 8} Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil,^(K) but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Church Discipline

⁹ I wrote to you in a letter not to associate^(L) with sexually immoral people.^{(M) 10} I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy^(N) and swindlers^(O) or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.^{(P) 11} But actually, I wrote^[d] you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^(Q) and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard^(R) or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. ¹² For what business is it of mine to judge^(S) outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? ¹³ God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.^[e](T)

Psalm 31

A Plea for Protection

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

Ezra’s Arrival

7 After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxes^(A) of Persia, Ezra—

⁶ —came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses,^(F) which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he requested^(G) because the hand of the Lord his God was on him.^{(H) 7} Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants^(I) accompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

⁸ Ezra^[a] came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, during the seventh year of the king. ⁹ He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month^(J) and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month^(K) since the gracious hand of his God was on him.^{(L) 10} Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach^(M) its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Letter from Artaxerxes

¹¹ This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in matters of the Lord’s commands and statutes for Israel:^[b]

¹² Artaxerxes, king of kings,^(N) to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens:

Greetings.

¹³ I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.^{(O) 14} You are sent by the king and his seven counselors^(P) to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your possession. ¹⁵ You are also to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors have willingly given to the God of Israel,^(Q) whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,^{(R) 16} and all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.^{(S) 17} Then you are to be diligent to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.^{(T) 18} You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. ¹⁹ Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.^{(U) 20} You may use the royal treasury^[c] to pay for anything else needed for the house of your God.^(V)

²¹ I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:^(W)

Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens, asks of you must be provided in full,^{(X) 22} up to 7,500 pounds^[d] of silver, 500 bushels^[e] of wheat, 550 gallons^[f] of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit.^{[g] 23} Whatever is commanded by the God of the heavens must be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons.^{(Y) 24} Be advised that you do not have authority to impose tribute, duty, and land tax on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

²⁵ And you, Ezra, according to^[h] God’s wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them.^{(Z) 26} Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let the appropriate judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.^(AA)

²⁷ Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s mind^(AB) to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem,^{(AC) 28} and who has shown favor to me before the king,^(AD) his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by the hand of the Lord my God,^[i](AE) and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.^(AF)

Those Returning with Ezra

8 These are the family heads and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:^(AG)

¹⁵ I gathered them at the river^[n] that flows to Ahava,^(AM) and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no Levites^(AN) there. ¹⁶ Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam,^(AO) as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. ¹⁷ I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for^[o] him and his brothers, the temple servants^(AP) at Casiphia, that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God. ¹⁸ Since the gracious hand of our God was on us,^(AQ) they brought us Sherebiah^(AR)—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men, ¹⁹ plus Hashabiah,^(AS) along with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. ²⁰ There were also 220 of the temple servants,^(AT) who had been appointed by David and the leaders for the work of the Levites. All were identified by name.

The Faithful Manager

4 A person should think of us in this way: as servants^(A) of Christ and managers^(B) of the mysteries of God.^{(C) 2} In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.^{(D) 3} It is of little^(E) importance to me that I should be judged^(F) by you or by any human court.^[a] In fact, I don’t even judge myself. ⁴ For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified^(G) by this. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵ So don’t judge^(H) anything prematurely, before the Lord comes,^(I) who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.^(J)

The Apostles’ Example of Humility

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters,^(K) I have applied these things to myself and Apollos^(L) for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another. ⁷ For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? ⁸ You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! ⁹ For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ!^(M) We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! ¹¹ Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; ¹² we labor, working^(N) with our own hands.^(O) When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage.^(P)

Paul’s Fatherly Care

¹⁴ I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.^{(Q) 15} For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father^(R) in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you to imitate me. ¹⁷ This is why I have sent^(S) Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful^(T) child in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

¹⁸ Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹ But I will come to you soon,^(U) if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk, but the power of those who are arrogant. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹ What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod,^(V) or in love and a spirit of gentleness?^(W)

Psalm 30

Joy in the Morning

A psalm; a dedication song for the house. Of David.