¹⁵ After ^(A)the reading from ^(B)the Law and the Prophets, ^(C)the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any ^(D)word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

Ezra Reads the Law

8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before ^(A)the Water Gate. And they told ^(B)Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. ² So Ezra the priest ^(C)brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, ^(D)on the first day of the seventh month. ^3 (E)And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

^16 (A)And he came to ^(B)Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And ^(C)as was his custom, ^(D)he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up ^(E)to read. ¹⁷ And ^(F)the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and ^(N)sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were ^(O)fixed on him. ²¹ And he began to say to them, “Today ^(P)this Scripture ^(Q)has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

²⁷ I put you under oath before the Lord to have ^(A)this letter read to all the brothers.

¹⁶ And when ^(A)this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.