² So on the first day of the seventh month^(A) Ezra the priest brought the Law^(B) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³ He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^(C) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁴ Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform^(D) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁸ Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law^(A) in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. ⁹ Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” ¹⁰ Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.^(B)

¹¹ When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law,^(C) he tore his robes. ¹² He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam^(D) son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:^{(E) 13} “Go and inquire^(F) of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger^(G) that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

¹⁸ Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read^(A) from the Book of the Law^(B) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,^(C) there was an assembly.^(D)

מ Mem

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

¹³ Until I come,^(A) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(B) to preaching and to teaching.