Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

1 The words of ^(A)Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in ^(B)the month Chislev, ^(C)in the twentieth year, while I was in ^(D)Susa the ^[a]capitol, ² that ^(E)Hanani, one of my brothers, ^[b]and some men from Judah came; and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped ^[c]and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. ³ And they said to me, “The remnant there in the ^(F)province who survived the captivity are in great distress and ^(G)disgrace, and ^(H)the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and ^(I)its gates have been burned with fire.”

⁴ Now when I heard these words, ^(J)I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before ^(K)the God of heaven. ⁵ I said, “Please, Lord God of heaven, ^(L)the great and awesome God, ^(M)who keeps the covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments: ^6 (N)let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, ^(O)confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have committed against You; ^(P)I and my father’s house have sinned. ^7 (Q)We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances ^(R)which You commanded Your servant Moses. ⁸ Remember, please, the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘^(S)If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; ^9 (T)but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I ^(U)will gather them from there and bring them ^(V)to the place where I have chosen to have My name dwell.’ ^10 (W)They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. ¹¹ Please, Lord, ^(X)may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to ^[d]revere Your name, and please make Your servant successful today and grant him mercy before this man.”

Now I was the ^(Y)cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah’s Prayer Answered

2 And it came about in the month Nisan, ^(Z)in the twentieth year of King ^(AA)Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and ^(AB)I picked up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. ² So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? ^(AC)This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. ³ And I said to the king, “^(AD)May the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad ^(AE)when the city, the ^[e]site of my fathers’ tombs, is desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” ⁴ Then the king said to me, “^[f]What would you request?” ^(AF)So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, I request that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” ⁶ Then the king said to me, with the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and ^(AG)I gave him a definite time. ⁷ And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me ^(AH)for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, so that they will allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, ⁸ and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s ^(AI)forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of ^(AJ)the citadel which is by the ^[g]temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because ^(AK)the good hand of my God was on me.

⁹ Then I came to ^(AL)the governors of the provinces beyond the Euphrates River and gave them the king’s letters. Now ^(AM)the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. ¹⁰ And when ^(AN)Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite ^[h]official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

¹¹ So I ^(AO)came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. ¹² And I got up in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my ^[i]mind to do for Jerusalem, and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. ¹³ So I went out at night by ^(AP)the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Spring and on to the Dung Gate, and I was inspecting the walls of Jerusalem ^(AQ)which were broken down and its ^(AR)gates which had been consumed by fire. ¹⁴ Then I passed on to ^(AS)the Fountain Gate and ^(AT)the King’s Pool, but there was no place for ^[j]my mount to pass. ¹⁵ So I was going up at night by the ^(AU)ravine and inspecting the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. ¹⁶ However, the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the rest who were doing the work.

¹⁷ Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that ^(AV)Jerusalem is desolate and its gates have been burned by fire. Come, let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” ¹⁸ And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let’s arise and build.” ^(AW)So they put their hands to the good work. ¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite ^[k]official, and ^(AX)Geshem the Arab heard about it, ^(AY)they mocked us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? ^(AZ)Are you rebelling against the king?” ²⁰ So I answered them and said to them, “^(BA)The God of heaven will make us successful; therefore we His servants will arise and build, ^(BB)but you have no part, right, or memorial in Jerusalem.”

The Excellency of Brotherly Unity.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

Greetings of Night Watchers.

A Song of Ascents.

Preparing the Passover

22 ^(A)Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the ^(B)Passover, was approaching. ² And the chief priests and the scribes ^(C)were trying to find ^[a]a way to put Him to death, since they were afraid of the people.

^3 (D)And ^(E)Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, ^[b]who belonged to the number of the twelve. ⁴ And he left and discussed with the chief priests and ^(F)officers how he was to betray Him to them. ⁵ And they were delighted, and agreed to give him money. ⁶ And so he consented, and began looking for a good opportunity to betray Him to them ^[c]away from the crowd.

^7 (G)Now the first day of Unleavened Bread came, on which ^(H)the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸ And so Jesus sent ^(I)Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” ⁹ They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” ¹⁰ And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house that he enters. ¹¹ And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ ¹² And he will show you a large, furnished upstairs room; prepare it there.” ¹³ And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Lord’s Supper

^14 (J)When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and ^(K)the apostles with Him. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶ for I say to you, I shall not eat it again ^(L)until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ^17 (M)And when He had taken a cup and ^(N)given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; ¹⁸ for ^(O)I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ And when He had taken some bread and ^(P)given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁰ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is ^(Q)poured out for you, is the ^(R)new covenant in My blood. ^21 (S)But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with ^[d]Mine on the table. ²² For indeed, the Son of Man is going ^(T)as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” ²³ And they began to debate among themselves which one of them it was who was going to do this.

Who Is Greatest

²⁴ And ^(U)a dispute also developed among them as to which one of them was regarded as being the greatest. ^25 (V)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles domineer over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ ²⁶ But it is not this way for you; ^(W)rather, the one who is the greatest among you must become like ^(X)the youngest, and the leader like the servant. ²⁷ For ^(Y)who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But ^(Z)I am among you as the one who serves.

²⁸ “You are the ones who have stood by Me in My ^(AA)trials; ²⁹ and just as My Father has granted Me a ^(AB)kingdom, I grant you ³⁰ that you may ^(AC)eat and drink at My table in My ^(AD)kingdom, and ^(AE)you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, ^(AF)Satan has ^[e]demanded to ^(AG)sift you men like wheat; ³² but I ^(AH)have prayed for ^[f]you, that ^[g]your faith will not fail; and ^[h]you, when you have ^[i]turned back, ^(AI)strengthen your brothers.” ^33 (AJ)But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!” ³⁴ But He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

³⁵ And He said to them, “^(AK)When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “But now, ^[j]whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and ^[k]whoever has no sword is to sell his ^[l]cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me: ‘^(AL)And He was counted with wrongdoers’; for ^(AM)that which refers to Me has its ^[m]fulfillment.” ³⁸ They said, “Lord, look, here are two ^(AN)swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

The Garden of Gethsemane

^39 (AO)And He came out and went, ^(AP)as was His habit, to ^(AQ)the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. ^40 (AR)Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “^(AS)Pray that you do not come into temptation.” ⁴¹ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He ^(AT)knelt down and began to pray, ⁴² saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this ^(AU)cup from Me; ^(AV)yet not My will, but Yours be done.” ⁴³ [^[n]Now an ^(AW)angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴ And ^(AX)being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground]. ⁴⁵ When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, ⁴⁶ and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and ^(AY)pray that you do not come into temptation.”

Jesus Betrayed by Judas

^47 (AZ)While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading the way for them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the ^(BA)sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus responded and said, “^[o]Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² And Jesus said to the chief priests and ^(BB)officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs ^(BC)as you would against a man inciting a revolt? ⁵³ While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but ^[p]this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”

Jesus’ Arrest

^54 (BD)Now they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but ^(BE)Peter was following at a distance. ^55 (BF)After they kindled a fire in the middle of ^(BG)the courtyard and sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. ⁵⁶ And a slave woman, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, and staring at him, said, “This man was with Him as well.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying, “I do not know Him, woman!” ⁵⁸ And a little later, ^(BH)another person saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹ And after about an hour had passed, some other man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, ^(BI)for he, too, is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” And immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹ And then ^(BJ)the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “^(BK)Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.

^63 (BL)The men who were holding ^[q]Jesus in custody began mocking Him and beating Him, ⁶⁴ and they blindfolded Him and repeatedly asked Him, saying, “^(BM)Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?” ⁶⁵ And they were saying many other things against Him, ^(BN)blaspheming.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

^66 (BO)When it was day, ^(BP)the ^[r]Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their ^(BQ)council chamber, saying, ⁶⁷ “^(BR)If You are the ^[s]Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; ⁶⁸ and if I ask a question, you will not answer. ^69 (BS)But from now on ^(BT)the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ⁷⁰ And they all said, “So You are ^(BU)the Son of God?” And He said to them, “^(BV)You say correctly that I am.” ⁷¹ And then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth!”