Miscellaneous Laws

(A)“When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year (B)to be happy with his wife[a] whom he has taken.

“No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.

(C)“If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he (D)treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. (E)So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

“Take care, in (F)a case of leprous[b] disease, to be very careful to do according to all that the Levitical priests shall direct you. As I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. Remember what the Lord your God did to (G)Miriam (H)on the way as you came out of Egypt.

10 “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge. 11 You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. 12 And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. 13 (I)You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and (J)bless you. And (K)it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.

14 “You shall not (L)oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. 15 (M)You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), (N)lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin.

16 (O)“Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.

17 (P)“You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, (Q)or take a widow's garment in pledge, 18 but (R)you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

19 (S)“When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, (T)that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 (U)You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 24:5 Or to make happy his wife
  2. Deuteronomy 24:8 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13

If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.(A)

Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person’s livelihood as security.(B)

If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating or selling them as a slave, the kidnapper must die.(C) You must purge the evil from among you.(D)

In cases of defiling skin diseases,[a] be very careful to do exactly as the Levitical(E) priests instruct you. You must follow carefully what I have commanded them.(F) Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam along the way after you came out of Egypt.(G)

10 When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge.(H) 11 Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. 12 If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge(I) in your possession. 13 Return their cloak by sunset(J) so that your neighbor may sleep in it.(K) Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the Lord your God.(L)

14 Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.(M) 15 Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor(N) and are counting on it.(O) Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.(P)

16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.(Q)

17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless(R) of justice,(S) or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt(T) and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it.(U) Leave it for the foreigner,(V) the fatherless and the widow,(W) so that the Lord your God may bless(X) you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time.(Y) Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.(Z)

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 24:8 The Hebrew word for defiling skin diseases, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of (A)Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of (B)Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

57 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of (C)Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of (D)Amon.

60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.

61 (E)The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, (F)Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers' houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 (G)The (H)governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

Totals of People and Gifts

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245,[a] 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

70 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. The (I)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments and 500 minas[c] of silver.[d] 71 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 (J)And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

(K)And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:68 Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses… 245
  2. Nehemiah 7:70 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams
  3. Nehemiah 7:70 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram
  4. Nehemiah 7:70 Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver

51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56 Neziah and Hatipha

57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of
Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
59 Shephatiah, Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon
60 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon(A)392

61 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

62 the descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda642

63 And from among the priests:

the descendants of
Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

64 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.(B)

66 The whole company numbered 42,360, 67 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules,[a] 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families(C) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[c] of gold and 2,200 minas[d] of silver. 72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.(D)

73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(E) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(F)

Ezra Reads the Law

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

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
  2. Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
  3. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
  4. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
  5. Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons

The Coming Glory of the Temple

(A)In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: “Speak now to (B)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to (C)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, (D)‘Who is left among you who saw this house (E)in its former glory? How do you see it now? (F)Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now (G)be strong, O (H)Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. (I)Be strong, O (J)Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. (K)Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. (L)Work, for (M)I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, (N)according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. (O)My Spirit remains in your midst. (P)Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: (Q)Yet once more, in a little while, (R)I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and (S)I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. (T)The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. (U)The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And (V)in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”

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on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(B) “Speak to Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a](D) the high priest, and to the remnant(E) of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house(F) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?(G) But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,(H) Joshua son of Jozadak,(I) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with(J) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted(K) with you when you came out of Egypt.(L) And my Spirit(M) remains among you. Do not fear.’(N)

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while(O) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,(P) the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired(Q) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house(R) with glory,(S)’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold(T) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory(U) of this present house(V) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,(W)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

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Footnotes

  1. Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, (A)but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better was (B)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how (C)to take advice. 14 For he went (D)from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that[a] youth who was to stand in the king's[b] place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is (E)vanity and a striving after wind.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew the second
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew his

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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The Hatred of the World

18 (A)“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 (B)If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because (C)you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: (D)‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, (E)they will also persecute you. (F)If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But (G)all these things they will do to you (H)on account of my name, (I)because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, (J)they would not have been guilty of sin,[a] but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 (K)Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 (L)If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, (M)they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have (N)seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But (O)the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: (P)‘They hated me without a cause.’

26 “But (Q)when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, (R)he will bear witness about me. 27 And (S)you also will bear witness, (T)because you have been with me (U)from the beginning.

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:22 Greek they would not have sin; also verse 24

The World Hates the Disciples

18 “If the world hates you,(A) keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you(B) out of the world. That is why the world hates you.(C) 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[a](D) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.(E) If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name,(F) for they do not know the one who sent me.(G) 22 If I had not come and spoken to them,(H) they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.(I) 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did,(J) they would not be guilty of sin.(K) As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:(L) ‘They hated me without reason.’[b](M)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

26 “When the Advocate(N) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father(O)—the Spirit of truth(P) who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.(Q) 27 And you also must testify,(R) for you have been with me from the beginning.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:20 John 13:16
  2. John 15:25 Psalms 35:19; 69:4

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given (A)a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure (B)the court outside the temple; leave that out, for (C)it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for (D)forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for (E)1,260 days, (F)clothed in sackcloth.”

These are (G)the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, (H)fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, (I)this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power (J)to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and (K)to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, (L)the beast that rises from (M)the bottomless pit[a] (N)will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically[b] is called (O)Sodom and (P)Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and (Q)refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and (R)those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and (S)exchange presents, because these two prophets (T)had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days (U)a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, (V)“Come up here!” And (W)they went up to heaven (X)in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was (Y)a great earthquake, and (Z)a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and (AA)gave glory to (AB)the God of heaven.

14 (AC)The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:7 Or the abyss
  2. Revelation 11:8 Greek spiritually

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod(A) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court;(B) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.(C) They will trample on the holy city(D) for 42 months.(E) And I will appoint my two witnesses,(F) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(G) clothed in sackcloth.”(H) They are “the two olive trees”(I) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a](J) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(K) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(L) They have power to shut up the heavens(M) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(N) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(O) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(P) that comes up from the Abyss(Q) will attack them,(R) and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(S)—which is figuratively called Sodom(T) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(U) For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(V) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(W) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(X) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(Y) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days(Z) the breath[b] of life from God entered them,(AA) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”(AB) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(AC) while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake(AD) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory(AE) to the God of heaven.(AF)

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.(AG)

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
  2. Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)