³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, ^(A)with the women, the little ones, ^(B)and the strangers who were living among them.

^12 (A)Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law,

² So Ezra the priest brought ^(A)the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding ^(B)on the first day of the seventh month.

² “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in ^(A)the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, ^(B)all the words that I command you to speak to them. ^(C)Do not diminish a word.

⁵ When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And ^(A)we knelt down on the shore and prayed.

¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for ^(A)of such is the kingdom of God.

Confession of Improper Marriages

10 Now ^(A)while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down ^(B)before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very ^(C)bitterly.

¹¹ your little ones and your wives—also the stranger who is in your camp, from ^(A)the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water—

²⁷ For I have not ^[a]shunned to declare to you ^(A)the whole counsel of God.