Ezra 8

New International Version

List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra

8 These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:^(A)

²of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;

of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;

of the descendants of David, Hattush ³of the descendants of Shekaniah;^(B)

of the descendants of Parosh,^(C) Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;

⁴of the descendants of Pahath-Moab,^(D) Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

⁵of the descendants of Zattu,^[a] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

⁶of the descendants of Adin,^(E) Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

⁷of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

⁸of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

⁹of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;

¹⁰of the descendants of Bani,^[b] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

¹¹of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;

¹²of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;

¹³of the descendants of Adonikam,^(F) the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

¹⁴of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zakkur, and with them 70 men.

The Return to Jerusalem

¹⁵I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava,^(G) and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites^(H) there. ¹⁶So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, ¹⁷and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants^(I) in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. ¹⁸Because the gracious hand of our God was on us,^(J) they brought us Sherebiah,^(K) a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; ¹⁹and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. ²⁰They also brought 220 of the temple servants^(L)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

²¹There, by the Ahava Canal,^(M) I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey^(N) for us and our children, with all our possessions. ²²I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers^(O) and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone^(P) who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.^(Q)” ²³So we fasted^(R) and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

²⁴Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah,^(S) Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, ²⁵and I weighed out^(T) to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. ²⁶I weighed out to them 650 talents^[c] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,^[d] 100 talents^[e] of gold, ²⁷20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,^[f] and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.

²⁸I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord.^(U) The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. ²⁹Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” ³⁰Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

³¹On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal^(V) to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us,^(W) and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. ³²So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.^(X)

³³On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out^(Y) the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth^(Z) son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad^(AA) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.^(AB) ³⁴Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

³⁵Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls^(AC) for all Israel,^(AD) ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,^[g] twelve male goats.^(AE) All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. ³⁶They also delivered the king’s orders^(AF) to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,^(AG) who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.^(AH)

Footnotes

Ezra 8:5 Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1 Esdras 8:32); Hebrew does not have Zattu.
Ezra 8:10 Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1 Esdras 8:36); Hebrew does not have Bani.
Ezra 8:26 That is, about 24 tons or about 22 metric tons
Ezra 8:26 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
Ezra 8:26 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
Ezra 8:27 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
Ezra 8:35 Or purification offering

Romans 12

New International Version

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,^(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform^(C) to the pattern of this world,^(D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.^(E) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is^(F)—his good, pleasing^(G) and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³For by the grace given me^(H) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,^(I) ⁵so in Christ we, though many, form one body,^(J) and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts,^(K) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,^(L) then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith;^(M) ⁷if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;^(N) ⁸if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;^(O) if it is giving, then give generously;^(P) if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

⁹Love must be sincere.^(Q) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.^(R) ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love.^(S) Honor one another above yourselves.^(T) ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,^(U) serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope,^(V) patient in affliction,^(W) faithful in prayer.^(X) ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.^(Y) Practice hospitality.^(Z)

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you;^(AA) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^(AB) ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another.^(AC) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.^(AD)

¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(AE) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^(AF) ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^(AG) ¹⁹Do not take revenge,^(AH) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d]^(AI) says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]^(AJ)

²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes

Romans 12:6 Or the
Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22

Psalm 111

New International Version

Psalm 111^[a]

¹Praise the Lord.^[b]

I will extol the Lord^(A) with all my heart^(B)
in the council^(C) of the upright and in the assembly.^(D)

²Great are the works^(E) of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all^(F) who delight in them.
³Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures^(G) forever.
⁴He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.^(H)
⁵He provides food^(I) for those who fear him;^(J)
    he remembers his covenant^(K) forever.

⁶He has shown his people the power of his works,^(L)
    giving them the lands of other nations.^(M)
⁷The works of his hands^(N) are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.^(O)
⁸They are established for ever^(P) and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
⁹He provided redemption^(Q) for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome^(R) is his name.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord^(S) is the beginning of wisdom;^(T)
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.^(U)
To him belongs eternal praise.^(V)

Footnotes

Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah