Ezra 9-10

New International Version

Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage

9 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate^(A) from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,^(B) Ammonites,^(C) Moabites,^(D) Egyptians and Amorites.^(E) ²They have taken some of their daughters^(F) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled^(G) the holy race^(H) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”^(I)

³When I heard this, I tore^(J) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.^(K) ⁴Then everyone who trembled^(L) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled^(M) until the evening sacrifice.

⁵Then, at the evening sacrifice,^(N) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands^(O) spread out to the Lord my God ⁶and prayed:

“I am too ashamed^(P) and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.^(Q) ⁷From the days of our ancestors^(R) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(S) and captivity,^(T) to pillage and humiliation^(U) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious^(V) in leaving us a remnant^(W) and giving us a firm place^[a]^(X) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes^(Y) and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹Though we are slaves,^(Z) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness^(AA) in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,^(AB) and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰“But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands^(AC) ¹¹you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering^(AD) to possess is a land polluted^(AE) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices^(AF) they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. ¹²Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them^(AG) at any time, that you may be strong^(AH) and eat the good things^(AI) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’^(AJ)

¹³“What has happened to us is a result of our evil^(AK) deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved^(AL) and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry^(AM) with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us,^(AN) leaving us no remnant^(AO) or survivor? ¹⁵Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous!^(AP) We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand^(AQ) in your presence.^(AR)”

The People’s Confession of Sin

10 While Ezra was praying and confessing,^(AS) weeping^(AT) and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. ²Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam,^(AU) said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful^(AV) to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.^(AW) ³Now let us make a covenant^(AX) before our God to send away^(AY) all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. ⁴Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

⁵So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath^(AZ) to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. ⁶Then 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,^(BA) because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

⁷A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. ⁸Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

⁹Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin^(BB) had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. ¹⁰Then Ezra^(BC) the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.^(BD) ¹¹Now honor^[b] the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”^(BE)

¹²The whole assembly responded with a loud voice:^(BF) “You are right! We must do as you say. ¹³But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. ¹⁴Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges^(BG) of each town, until the fierce anger^(BH) of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” ¹⁵Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai^(BI) the Levite, opposed this.

¹⁶So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, ¹⁷and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

¹⁸Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:^(BJ)

From the descendants of Joshua^(BK) son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. ¹⁹(They all gave their hands^(BL) in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)^(BM)

²⁰From the descendants of Immer:^(BN)

Hanani and Zebadiah.

²¹From the descendants of Harim:^(BO)

Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.

²²From the descendants of Pashhur:^(BP)

Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

²³Among the Levites:^(BQ)

Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

²⁴From the musicians:

Eliashib.^(BR)

From the gatekeepers:

Shallum, Telem and Uri.

²⁵And among the other Israelites:

From the descendants of Parosh:^(BS)

Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.

²⁶From the descendants of Elam:^(BT)

Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.

²⁷From the descendants of Zattu:

Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.

²⁸From the descendants of Bebai:

Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.

²⁹From the descendants of Bani:

Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.

³⁰From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:

Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.

³¹From the descendants of Harim:

Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, ³²Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.

³³From the descendants of Hashum:

Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.

³⁴From the descendants of Bani:

Maadai, Amram, Uel, ³⁵Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, ³⁶Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, ³⁷Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.

³⁸From the descendants of Binnui:^[c]

Shimei, ³⁹Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, ⁴⁰Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, ⁴¹Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, ⁴²Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

⁴³From the descendants of Nebo:

Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.

⁴⁴All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.^[d]

Footnotes

Ezra 9:8 Or a foothold
Ezra 10:11 Or Now make confession to
Ezra 10:38 See Septuagint (also 1 Esdras 9:34); Hebrew Jaasu ³⁸and Bani and Binnui,
Ezra 10:44 Or and they sent them away with their children

Proverbs 25:15-28

New International Version

¹⁵Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,^(A)
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.^(B)

¹⁶If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.^(C)
¹⁷Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.

¹⁸Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
    is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.^(D)
¹⁹Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
    is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
²⁰Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
    or like vinegar poured on a wound,
    is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
²²In doing this, you will heap burning coals^(E) on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.^(F)

²³Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

²⁴Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.^(G)

²⁵Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.^(H)
²⁶Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat too much honey,^(I)
nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.^(J)

²⁸Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.

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Ephesians 6

New International Version

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.^(A) ²“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”^[a]^(B)

⁴Fathers,^[b] do not exasperate your children;^(C) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.^(D)

⁵Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect^(E) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,^(F) just as you would obey Christ.^(G) ⁶Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,^(H) doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,^(I) ⁸because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,^(J) whether they are slave or free.

⁹And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours^(K) is in heaven, and there is no favoritism^(L) with him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord^(M) and in his mighty power.^(N) ¹¹Put on the full armor of God,^(O) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^(P) but against the rulers, against the authorities,^(Q) against the powers^(R) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^(S) ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God,^(T) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,^(U) with the breastplate of righteousness in place,^(V) ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.^(W) ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,^(X) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.^(Y) ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation^(Z) and the sword of the Spirit,^(AA) which is the word of God.^(AB)

¹⁸And pray in the Spirit^(AC) on all occasions^(AD) with all kinds of prayers and requests.^(AE) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying^(AF) for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me,^(AG) that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly^(AH) make known the mystery^(AI) of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador^(AJ) in chains.^(AK) Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

²¹Tychicus,^(AL) the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. ²²I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,^(AM) and that he may encourage you.^(AN)

²³Peace^(AO) to the brothers and sisters,^[c] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.^[d]

Footnotes

Ephesians 6:3 Deut. 5:16
Ephesians 6:4 Or Parents
Ephesians 6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
Ephesians 6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.