⁷ “For the lips of a priest^(A) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger^(B) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.^(C)

²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.^{(A) 25} Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,^(B)

¹¹ and so you can teach^(A) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.^(B)”

⁵ The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings^(A) in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault.^(B)

⁸ Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(A)

²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(A) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(B) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^(C)

¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God,^(A) who are telling you the way to be saved.”

¹⁰ For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching^(A) its decrees and laws in Israel.

² So on the first day of the seventh month^(A) Ezra the priest brought the Law^(B) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³ He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^(C) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁴ Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform^(D) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁵ Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing^(E) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶ Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands^(F) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ The Levites^(G)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^(H) the people in the Law while the people were standing there. ⁸ They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.