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8 That day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai came and appeared before the king, because Esther had told him what Mordecai’s relationship to her was.

² The king took off his signet ring that he had taken from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai in charge of the house of Haman.

³ In addition, Esther spoke to the king. She fell at his feet, wept, and requested that he put an end to the evil plan that Haman the Agagite had devised against the Jews.

⁴ The king held out the golden scepter to Esther. Esther rose and stood in the presence of the king.

⁵ She said, “If it is acceptable to the king, if I have found favor before him, if this idea seems right to the king, and if I am acceptable to him, a decree should be written to nullify the letters for the plot of Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews in all of the provinces of the king. ⁶ For how can I watch the disaster that is about to come on my people! How can I watch the destruction of my relatives!”

⁷ King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look. I have given Haman’s house to Esther. They have hanged him on the gallows because he raised his hand against the Jews. ⁸ You can write concerning the Jews whatever seems good to you and seal it with the king’s signet ring, because a document written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be changed.”

⁹ The king’s scribes were summoned at once, on the twenty-third day of Sivan, the third month. Whatever Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews was written to the satraps, governors, and the officials of the provinces from India to Cush, one hundred twenty-seven provinces in all. They wrote to each province in its own writing system and to each people in its own language (including to the Jews in their writing system and in their language). ¹⁰ He wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He sent letters by messengers mounted on the king’s fastest thoroughbreds.^[a]

The Content and Effect of the Letters

¹¹ The king gave the Jews in every city the right to gather together to defend their own lives and to destroy, kill, and annihilate any military force of any people or province that might attack them, along with their children and their wives, and to plunder their goods.

¹² In all the provinces of King Xerxes, ¹³ a copy of the writing, which was issued as a law for every province, proclaimed to all the peoples that on one day (the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar), the Jews would be ready to avenge themselves on their enemies.

¹⁴ The couriers riding their swift horses went out quickly, spurred on by the word of the king. The decree originated in Susa, the citadel.

¹⁵ Mordecai went out from the king’s presence, dressed in blue and white royal clothing, with a large gold crown and a purple linen cape. The city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶ It was a time of light, gladness, joy, and honor for the Jews.

¹⁷ In every province and in every city which the message of the king reached, his edict brought gladness and joy to the Jews. There was a feast and a holiday. Many of the peoples of the land declared themselves Jews because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (Adar), the day which the king’s proclamation had specified for his decree to be carried out, the day on which the enemies of the Jews hoped to obtain power over them, the situation was reversed so that the Jews would gain power over those who hated them.

² The Jews gathered in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes, to strike against those seeking to hurt them. No one opposed them because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon all the people. ³ All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the people who did the work of the king were helping the Jews because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them, ⁴ because he was important in the king’s house. His reputation was spreading in all the provinces because this man Mordecai was becoming more and more influential.

⁵ The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering and destroying them. They did whatever they pleased against their enemies.

⁶ In Susa, the citadel, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, ⁷ including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. ¹⁰ They killed the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, who had been persecuting the Jews, but they did not seize any plunder.

¹¹ On that day the number of those killed in Susa, the citadel, was reported to the king. ¹² The king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa, the citadel, the Jews have killed five hundred men, including the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the provinces of the king? What is your request? It will be granted. What you are still seeking will be done.”

¹³ Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let permission be given to the Jews who are in Susa to carry out today’s order also tomorrow and that the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.”

¹⁴ The king said that this would be done. The command was given in Susa. The ten sons of Haman were hanged.

¹⁵ The Jews in Susa gathered again on the fourteenth day of Adar. In Susa they killed three hundred men, but they did not seize any plunder.

¹⁶ The rest of the Jews who were in the provinces of the king also gathered and defended themselves, getting relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them, but they did not seize any plunder. ¹⁷ This happened on the thirteenth day of Adar. They rested on the fourteenth and had a day of feasting^[b] and joyful celebration.

¹⁸ But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth and on the fourteenth. They rested on the fifteenth and made it a day of feasting and joyful celebration. ¹⁹ Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the unwalled towns of the open countryside, have their day of joyful celebration and feasting on the fourteenth of Adar. It is a holiday, and they send portions of food to their neighbors.

²⁰ Mordecai wrote these things down. Then he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Xerxes, both near and far, ²¹ to call upon them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year, ²² because those were the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies. This was the month which was changed from sorrow to gladness for them and from a day of mourning to a holiday. They were to make those days into days of feasting and joyful celebration, sending portions of food to their neighbors and gifts to the poor.

²³ So the Jews completed what they had begun to do and what Mordecai had written to them, ²⁴ because Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the one opposed to all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast pur (that is, they had cast lots) to crush them and to destroy them.

²⁵ However, because Esther came into the presence of the king, he said in writing that Haman’s wicked plot, which he had devised against the Jews, was to return on his own head, and they should hang him and his sons on the gallows.

²⁶ That is why they called these days Purim (lots) because of the word pur. Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, because of what they had observed, and because of what had happened to them, ²⁷ the Jews established this festival and made a commitment that they, their descendants, and all those associated with them would never fail to observe these two days according to these directions and at their proper time every year.

²⁸ These days are to be remembered and preserved in every generation, in every family, province, and city. The Jews should never stop celebrating the days of Purim. Their commemoration should never be set aside by their descendants.

²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew used their authority to publish this second communication about Purim. ³⁰ He sent letters to all the Jews in one hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes containing words of true peace, ³¹ telling them to observe the days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had given them the responsibility to do, and telling them to carry out the directions about their fasts and their lamentation just as they and their descendants had agreed to do.

³² The command of Esther established the directions about Purim, and they were written in a book.

10 King Xerxes imposed taxes on the land and on the islands and coasts of the sea. ² All his powerful and mighty acts and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

³ This was written there because Mordecai the Jew, second in command to King Xerxes, was important for the Jews and popular with large numbers of his brother Israelites, because he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all their descendants.

²⁷ You are the body of Christ, and individually you are members of it. ²⁸ And God appointed in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then miracles, healing gifts, helpful acts, leadership abilities, kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? ³⁰ Do all have healing gifts? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But eagerly seek the greater gifts. And now, I am going to show you a more excellent way.

Love Matters More Than the Other Gifts

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and know all the mysteries and have all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away everything I own, and if I give up my body that I may be burned^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. It does not brag. It is not arrogant. ⁵ It does not behave indecently. It is not selfish. It is not irritable. It does not keep a record of wrongs. ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears^[c] all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.^[d]

⁸ Love never comes to an end. But if there are prophetic gifts, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be done away with. ⁹ For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part, ¹⁰ but when that which is complete has come, that which is partial will be done away with. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things. ¹² Now we see indirectly using a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I was fully known.

¹³ So now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Psalm 37

Do Not Fret Because of Evildoers

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By David.

Do Not Be Frustrated by the Wicked

Trust in God’s Goodness

Consider the Final Destiny of the Wicked

4 When Mordecai became aware of everything that had happened, he ripped his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went out into the middle of the city, and let out a loud, bitter cry. ² He went right up to the king’s gate, even though no one clothed with sackcloth was allowed to enter it.

³ In every single province that was reached by the proclamation of the king and where his decree was posted, there was great mourning, fasting, weeping, and lamenting among the Jews. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴ When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and told her what had happened, the queen agonized over it. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he could take off his sackcloth, but he did not accept them. ⁵ Esther summoned Hathak, who had been assigned from among the king’s eunuchs to attend to her. She ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why.

⁶ Hathak went out to Mordecai in the public square in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened and the exact amount of silver that Haman had said he would put into the treasuries of the king to destroy the Jews. ⁸ Mordecai also gave Hathak a copy of the written decree which had been issued in Susa to destroy the Jews, so that he could show it to Esther. Hathak was to place the responsibility upon her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

⁹ So Hathak went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

¹⁰ Esther spoke to Hathak and gave him directions to pass on to Mordecai: ¹¹ “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that it is the law that any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned will be put to death, unless the king holds out the golden scepter to him. Then he will live. But I have not been called to go to the king for thirty days.”

¹² They told Mordecai what Esther had said.

¹³ Mordecai responded, “Take this message to Esther: Do not imagine that of all the Jews, you alone will escape because you are part of the king’s household. ¹⁴ If at this time you keep totally silent, relief and deliverance for the Jews will spring up from somewhere, but you and the house of your father will perish. Who knows whether you have become queen for a time like this!”

¹⁵ Esther responded to Mordecai, ¹⁶ “Go. Gather all the Jews who are found in Susa. Fast on my behalf. Do not eat and drink for three days and nights. I and my young women also will fast in the same way. After that I will go to the king, contrary to the law. And then, if I perish, I perish!”

¹⁷ Mordecai went away and did everything Esther had ordered him to do.

5 On the third day Esther dressed in the queen’s royal clothing and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, opposite the quarters of the king. The king was sitting on the throne in the reception hall, opposite the entrance.

² When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she pleased him. The king held out to Esther the golden scepter, which was in his hand. Esther approached and touched the head of the scepter.

³ The king said to her, “What concerns you, Queen Esther? Whatever you are seeking (up to half of the kingdom) will be given to you.”

⁴ Esther said, “If it is agreeable to the king, the king and Haman should come today to a banquet that I have made for him.”

⁵ The king said, “Hurry! Get Haman so that we can do what Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

⁶ While the king was drinking wine, he said to Esther, “What is your request? It will be given to you. What are you seeking? Up to half of the kingdom—it’s yours.”

⁷ Esther answered, “This is my request. This is what I seek. ⁸ If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, let the king and Haman come to a banquet, which I will make for them tomorrow. Then I will give the answers requested by the king.”

⁹ Haman went out that day full of joy, with a happy heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and Mordecai did not stand and tremble before him, Haman was filled with rage against Mordecai. ¹⁰ But Haman restrained himself from any action.

He went to his house and called together his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹ Haman reviewed for them the glory of his wealth, the number of his sons, all the details about how the king had made him great, and how the king had elevated him over all the officials and the king’s administrators. ¹² Haman said, “What’s more, Queen Esther did not invite anyone except me to come with the king to the banquet that she prepared. I have been invited again for her banquet with the king tomorrow. ¹³ But none of this means anything to me whenever I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

¹⁴ Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Make a gallows^[a] seventy-five feet high. In the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged^[b] on it. Then go happily with the king to the banquet.” In Haman’s opinion this was good advice, so he had the gallows made.

6 That night the king could not sleep, so he ordered that the chronicles,^[c] the record of the memorable events of his reign, be brought to him. These accounts were read to the king.

² They found the account about the incident when Mordecai had reported Bigthan^[d] and Teresh, the king’s two eunuchs who had controlled access to the entrance to the palace, who had tried to assassinate King Xerxes.

³ The king said, “What honor and recognition has been given to Mordecai for this?”

Then the servants of the king who were attending him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

⁴ The king said, “Who is in the court?” Just then Haman had come to the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

⁵ The king’s servants said to him, “Look, Haman is standing in the court.” The king said, “Have him come in.”

⁶ When Haman came in, the king said to him, “What should be done to honor the man with whom the king is pleased?”

Haman said in his heart, “Who could there be that the king would be more pleased to honor than me?”

⁷ Haman said to the king, “The man whom the king is pleased to honor ⁸ should be clothed with garments that the king has worn. He should be given a horse on which the king has ridden, and crowned with a crown that has been on the king’s head. ⁹ These clothes and this horse should be delivered by one of the highest ranking noblemen of the king. They should dress up the man whom the king is pleased to honor and let him ride on the horse in the public square of the city. Walking in front of him, they will proclaim, “This is what is done for the man whom the king is pleased to honor.”

¹⁰ The king said to Haman, “Hurry! Take the clothing and the horse just as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits in the gatehouse of the king. Do not leave out a thing from whatever you have said.”

¹¹ Haman took the clothing and the horse, clothed Mordecai, had him ride through the public square of the city, and proclaimed before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king is pleased to honor.”

¹² Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his home, mourning, with his head covered. ¹³ Haman reported all this to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends.

His advisors and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent,^[e] you will not overcome him. Instead, you will surely fall before him.”

¹⁴ While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

7 So the king and Haman went to the feast with Queen Esther.

² On the second day, when they were again drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It will be given to you. What are you seeking? Up to half of the kingdom—it’s yours.”

³ Queen Esther responded, “My King, if I have found favor in your eyes, and if it pleases the king, I am asking that my life be spared, and I am seeking the lives of my people, ⁴ because I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we were merely being sold to be male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, because that would not have been bad enough to be a reason to bother the king.”

⁵ King Xerxes spoke up. He said to Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is this person who has the audacity to do this?”

⁶ Esther said, “This hateful enemy is this evil Haman!” Haman was terrified in the presence of the king and the queen.

⁷ The king rose angrily from the place where they were drinking wine^[f] and went to the palace garden. But Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, because he saw the king had evil plans for him.

⁸ Just as the king was returning from the palace garden to the hall where they had been drinking wine, Haman was falling onto the couch on which Esther was lying. The king said, “Will he even assault the queen when I am in the building?” As soon as the words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.^[g]

⁹ In addition, Harbona, one of the eunuchs present with the king, said, “You know, there is a gallows seventy-five feet high standing by the house of Haman, which he made for Mordecai, the person who spoke up for the benefit of the king.” The king said, “Hang^[h] him on it.”

¹⁰ So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

All the Gifts of the Spirit Are Beneficial

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans, you were deceived and somehow led away to mute idols. ³ Therefore I am informing you that no one speaking by God’s Spirit says, “A curse be upon Jesus,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ There are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different kinds of ministries, and yet the same Lord. ⁶ There are various kinds of activity, but the same God, who produces all of them in everyone.

⁷ Each person is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ To one person a message of wisdom is given by the Spirit; to another, a message of knowledge, as the same Spirit provides it; ⁹ by the same Spirit, faith is given to someone else; and to another, the same^[a] Spirit gives healing gifts. ¹⁰ Another is given powers to do miracles; another, the gift of prophecy; another, the evaluating of spirits; someone else, different kinds of tongues;^[b] and another, the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ One and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them to each one individually as he desires.

The Diversity of the Gifts Enhances the Unity of the Body of Christ

¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by^[c] one Spirit we all were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free people, and we were all caused to drink one Spirit. ¹⁴ Furthermore, the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not on that account cease to be part of the body. ¹⁶ If the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not on that account cease to be part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has arranged the members in the body, each and every one of them, as he desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one member, where would the body be? ²⁰ But as it is, there are many members, yet one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.” ²² On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are much more necessary. ²³ As for the parts of the body we consider less honorable, these we provide with more honor. We treat our unpresentable parts with more modesty, ²⁴ whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God put the body together in a way that gave more honor to the parts that lack it. ²⁵ He did it so that there might not be any division in the body, but that the members might all have the same concern for one another. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Psalm 36

Concerning the Rebelliousness of the Wicked

Heading

For the choir director. By the servant of the Lord. By David.

The Arrogance of the Wicked

The Goodness of God

Closing Prayer

1 These events happened during the time of Xerxes,^[a] when Xerxes was ruling over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush.^{[b] 2} King Xerxes was ruling on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel.^[c]

³ In the third year of his reign^[d] he gave a banquet^[e] for all his officials and administrators, for the leaders of the army of Persia and Media, and for the nobles and officials of the provinces. ⁴ He displayed the glory and splendor of the riches of his kingdom, the grandeur of his majesty, for many days (one hundred eighty days in all).

⁵ When this was completed, the king gave a banquet for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the most important to the least significant. It lasted for seven days in the courtyard of the garden in the king’s palace.

⁶ There were white and blue linen hangings, attached to marble^[f] pillars with white and purple cords and silver rings.^[g] There were couches made of gold and silver, standing on a mosaic floor made of purple porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other precious stones. ⁷ Drinks were served in gold goblets. Each goblet was unique. The royal wine was plentiful, in keeping with the king’s extravagance. ⁸ No directions were given about the amount each person was to drink because the king had ordered all the waiters to serve the amount each man desired.

⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace of King Xerxes.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas, seven of the eunuchs who served him, ¹¹ to bring before him Queen Vashti wearing the crown of the kingdom, in order to show the people and the officials her beauty. She was very good-looking.

¹² Queen Vashti refused to come in response to the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. The king was infuriated and his anger burned within him.

¹³ So the king spoke to his advisors who understood the times. (It was the king’s custom to consult with those who were acquainted with law and legal principles.) ¹⁴ His close advisors were Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven officials of Persia and Media who were allowed to see the king’s face and were ranked first in the kingdom.

¹⁵ He asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti since she did not obey the command of the king delivered by the eunuchs?”

¹⁶ In the presence of the king and the officials, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has not only committed an offense against the king, but she has also committed an offense against all the officials and all the people in the provinces of King Xerxes, ¹⁷ because the action of the queen, when it is reported to all the women, will cause them to look upon their husbands with contempt. They will say, ‘King Xerxes said to bring Queen Vashti before him, but she did not come.’ ¹⁸ Today the noble ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard about the action of the queen, will be talking about it to their husbands, who are the officials of the king. There will be more than enough contempt and anger. ¹⁹ If the king agrees, he should issue a royal decree. It should be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be changed. Vashti shall not come into the presence of King Xerxes. The king will give her status as queen to a different person, one better than she is. ²⁰ The decree of the king will be heard throughout all of his vast kingdom. Then all the women will give honor to their husbands, both the most important and the least significant.”

²¹ The advice seemed good to the king and the officials, so the king did as Memucan had said. ²² He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom—to each province in its own writing system and to each people in its own language. The letters stated that each man should be lord in his own house. The letters were addressed to every man in his own language.^[h]

2 When King Xerxes was no longer so angry, he remembered what Vashti had done and what had been decreed about her.

² The young men who served as attendants to the king said, “Search for good-looking, young virgins for the king. ³ Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of the kingdom to do this. Gather all the good-looking, young virgins into the citadel at Susa, to the harem under the supervision of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, the overseer of the women. Give them beauty treatments. ⁴ The young woman who pleases the king should be queen instead of Vashti.” The king agreed and implemented the plan.

⁵ In the citadel at Susa there was a Jew named Mordecai, who was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish the Benjaminite. ⁶ Kish had been taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon with the other captives who were exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah.^[i]

⁷ Mordecai had raised his cousin Hadassah (also called Esther) because she had no father or mother. She was shapely and good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his daughter.

⁸ When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, and many young women had been gathered into the citadel of Susa under the supervision of Hegai, Esther was taken to the king’s palace, to Hegai, who was in charge of the harem. ⁹ She pleased Hegai and gained his favor. He quickly provided her with beauty treatments and food. He assigned a good position in the harem to her and to the seven female attendants picked out for her from the king’s palace.

¹⁰ Esther had not revealed her nationality or her family background because Mordecai had told her not to do so.

¹¹ Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the harem, to learn about Esther’s well-being and about what was going to be done with her.

¹² Every young woman received a turn to go to King Xerxes after she had received the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments. For six months they used oil of myrrh; for six months perfumes and other beauty treatments for women. ¹³ Then the young woman went to the king. Everything she desired was given to her when she went from the harem to the king’s palace. ¹⁴ She went to the king in the evening. In the morning she returned to the second harem, under the supervision of Sha’ashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She did not return to the king unless he was delighted with her and she was summoned by name.

¹⁵ Esther was the daughter of Abihail, Mordecai’s uncle. Mordecai had adopted her.

When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, had advised. Esther won the approval of everyone watching her.

¹⁶ Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, during the seventh year^[j] of his reign.

¹⁷ The king loved Esther more than he loved all the other women. She won his favor and approval more than all the other virgins did. He placed the crown of the kingdom on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

¹⁸ The king gave a great banquet in honor of Esther for all his officials and administrators. He declared a tax holiday for the provinces and gave gifts as only the king could give.

¹⁹ When the virgins were gathered together for a second time,^[k] Mordecai was sitting in the gatehouse to the king’s palace. ²⁰ (Esther had not revealed her family or her nationality because when Mordecai had been taking care of her, Mordecai had told her not to do so.)

²¹ When Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gatehouse, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who controlled access to the entrance to the palace, became very angry and plotted to kill King Xerxes. ²² When Mordecai learned about this, he told Queen Esther. She passed the report along to the king, crediting Mordecai by name. ²³ The matter was investigated, and the charges were found to be true, and both of them were hanged.^[l] This incident was recorded in the daily record book, in the presence of the king.

3 After these events King Xerxes honored Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite. He promoted him and placed him over all the officials who served with him. ² All the servants of the king who were at the king’s gate were bowing down and kneeling in Haman’s presence, because the king had commanded that this be done for him, but Mordecai did not bow down and did not kneel.

³ So the servants of the king who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you going against the king’s command?” ⁴ Even though they spoke to him every day, he did not listen to them. They reported this to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s actions would be tolerated. Mordecai had informed them that he was a Jew.

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down and kneeling in his presence, Haman was enraged. ⁶ Because the king’s servants had made Haman aware of Mordecai’s nationality, Haman was not satisfied with laying hands only on Mordecai. Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

⁷ During the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, during the first month, the month of Nisan, a pur (which means “a lot”) was cast before Haman for every day and every month of the year, until Adar, the twelfth month, was chosen.

⁸ Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a group of people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of all the other people. They do not keep the laws of the king. It is not good for the king to allow them to get away with this. ⁹ If the king agrees, a directive should be written to destroy them. I will weigh out ten thousand talents^[m] of silver to the treasury of the king for those who carry out this work.”

¹⁰ The king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the man opposing the Jews. ¹¹ The king said to Haman, “The silver will be given to you,^[n] as well as the people. Do with them whatever seems good to you.”

¹² In the first month, on the thirteenth day, the king’s scribes were summoned. A decree based on everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps,^[o] to the governors over each province, and to the officials of every people. The decree was sent to each province in its own writing system and to each people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

¹³ The letters were sent by courier to all the provinces of the king to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, including children and women, and to plunder their goods in one day, on the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month. ¹⁴ A copy of the decree was to be proclaimed as a law to all the peoples in every province, so that they could be ready for that day.

¹⁵ The couriers went out, spurred on by the word of the king. The law was issued in Susa, the citadel. The king and Haman sat down to drink. The city of Susa was perplexed and confused.

A Sinful Practice at the Lord’s Supper Needs to Be Eliminated

¹⁷ Now in giving you this next command, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For in the first place, I hear that when you come together in an assembly, there are divisions among you. And to some extent I believe it, ¹⁹ for there also have to be factions among you so that those who are approved may become evident among you. ²⁰ So when you come together in the same place, it is not the Lord’s Supper that you eat. ²¹ For when you eat, each one goes ahead and takes his own supper, and so one person goes hungry while another is drunk. ²² What, don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise God’s church and humiliate those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I do not praise you!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,^[a] “This is my body, which is^[b] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after the meal, he also took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new testament^[c] in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

²⁷ Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Lord’s body and blood. ²⁸ Instead, let a person examine himself and after doing so, let him eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For if anyone eats and drinks in an unworthy way^[d] because he does not recognize^[e] the Lord’s^[f] body, he eats and drinks judgment on himself. ³⁰ Because of this, many among you are weak and sick, and quite a few have fallen asleep.^{[g] 31} But if we judged ourselves, we would not be undergoing judgment. ³² However, when we undergo judgment, we are being disciplined by the Lord so that we may not be condemned with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.^{[h] 34} If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home so that your coming together may not result in judgment. The rest of my instructions I will give when I come.

Second Petition

Second Vow

Third Petition

Third Vow

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.