²¹ The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread^(A) for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.^[a]

²² Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised^[b] the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

²³ The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate^(B) the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully.

²⁵ The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel^(A), including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah. ²⁶ There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon^(B) son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(A) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(B) and to prayer.^(C)

⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(A) They broke bread^(B) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(C) And the Lord added to their number^(D) daily those who were being saved.