³ So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,^(A) and in sackcloth and ashes.^(B)

³ ‘Call^(A) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable^(B) things you do not know.’

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(A) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(B) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(C)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(D) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(E) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(F)

⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.^(A) For some days I mourned and fasted^(B) and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:

I was cupbearer^(P) to the king.

¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast^(A) for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”^(B)

⁵ Then, at the evening sacrifice,^(A) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands^(B) spread out to the Lord my God

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(A) Wash your hands,^(B) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(C) you double-minded.^{(D) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(E) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(F)

⁶ Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water,^(A) because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.