8 ¹ all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.^(A) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,^(B) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

² So on the first day of the seventh month^(C) Ezra the priest brought the Law^(D) 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^(E) 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^(F) 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^(G) 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^(H) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ The Levites^(I)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^(J) 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.

⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites^(K) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”^(L) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing^(M) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy^(N) of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹ The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

¹² Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,^(O) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

¹³ On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. ¹⁴ They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters^(P) during the festival of the seventh month ¹⁵ and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.^[b]

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate^(Q) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.^{(R) 17} The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.^(S) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated^(T) it like this. And their joy was very great.

¹⁸ Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read^(U) from the Book of the Law^(V) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,^(W) there was an assembly.^(X)

The Second Census

26 After the plague^(A) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, ² “Take a census^(B) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army^(C) of Israel.” ³ So on the plains of Moab^(D) by the Jordan across from Jericho,^(E) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, ⁴ “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:^(F)

⁵ The descendants of Reuben,^(G) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

⁷ These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

⁸ The son of Pallu was Eliab, ⁹ and the sons of Eliab^(L) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community^(M) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.^{(N) 10} The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them^(O) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.^(P) And they served as a warning sign.^{(Q) 11} The line of Korah,^(R) however, did not die out.^(S)

¹² The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

¹⁴ These were the clans of Simeon;^(W) those numbered were 22,200.^(X)

¹⁵ The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

¹⁸ These were the clans of Gad;^(Z) those numbered were 40,500.

¹⁹ Er^(AA) and Onan^(AB) were sons of Judah, but they died^(AC) in Canaan.

²⁰ The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

²² These were the clans of Judah;^(AI) those numbered were 76,500.

²³ The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

²⁵ These were the clans of Issachar;^(AL) those numbered were 64,300.

²⁶ The descendants of Zebulun^(AM) by their clans were:

²⁷ These were the clans of Zebulun;^(AN) those numbered were 60,500.

²⁸ The descendants of Joseph^(AO) by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim^(AP) were:

²⁹ The descendants of Manasseh:^(AQ)

³⁴ These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700.^(AY)

³⁵ These were the descendants of Ephraim^(AZ) by their clans:

³⁷ These were the clans of Ephraim;^(BA) those numbered were 32,500.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

³⁸ The descendants of Benjamin^(BB) by their clans were:

⁴¹ These were the clans of Benjamin;^(BD) those numbered were 45,600.

⁴² These were the descendants of Dan^(BE) by their clans:^(BF)

These were the clans of Dan: ⁴³ All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

⁴⁴ The descendants of Asher^(BH) by their clans were:

⁴⁷ These were the clans of Asher;^(BI) those numbered were 53,400.

⁴⁸ The descendants of Naphtali^(BJ) by their clans were:

⁵⁰ These were the clans of Naphtali;^(BK) those numbered were 45,400.^(BL)

⁵¹ The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.^(BM)

⁵² The Lord said to Moses, ⁵³ “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.^{(BN) 54} To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number^(BO) of those listed.^{(BP) 55} Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.^(BQ) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. ⁵⁶ Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

⁵⁷ These were the Levites^(BR) who were counted by their clans:

⁶² All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.^(CA) They were not counted^(CB) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance^(CC) among them.^(CD)

⁶³ These are the ones counted^(CE) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab^(CF) by the Jordan across from Jericho.^{(CG) 64} Not one of them was among those counted^(CH) by Moses and Aaron^(CI) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. ⁶⁵ For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,^(CJ) and not one of them was left except Caleb^(CK) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.^(CL)

Levi

6 ^[a]The sons of Levi:^(A)

The Temple Musicians^(X)

³¹ These are the men^(Y) David put in charge of the music^(Z) in the house of the Lord after the ark came to rest there. ³² They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.

³³ Here are the men who served, together with their sons:

⁴⁸ Their fellow Levites^(AI) were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. ⁴⁹ But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar^(AJ) of burnt offering and on the altar of incense^(AK) in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

⁵⁴ These were the locations of their settlements^(AM) allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them):

⁶¹ The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.

⁶² The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

⁶³ The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

⁶⁴ So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns^(AT) and their pasturelands. ⁶⁵ From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.

⁶⁶ Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

The Gatekeepers

26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:^(A)

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering^(E) in the temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had. ¹³ Lots^(F) were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

¹⁴ The lot for the East Gate^(G) fell to Shelemiah.^[a] Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah,^(H) a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. ¹⁵ The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom,^(I) and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons. ¹⁶ The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah.

Guard was alongside of guard: ¹⁷ There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse. ¹⁸ As for the court^[b] to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court^[c] itself.

¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.^(J)

The Treasurers and Other Officials

²⁰ Their fellow Levites^(K) were^[d] in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.^(L)

²¹ The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite,^(M) were Jehieli, ²² the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries^(N) of the temple of the Lord.

²³ From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites:^(O)

Psalm 84^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared^(B) and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.^{(C) 4} While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning^(D) stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:^{(E) 7} ‘The Son of Man^(F) must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”^{(G) 8} Then they remembered his words.^(H)

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them^(I) who told this to the apostles.^{(J) 11} But they did not believe^(K) the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,^(L) and he went away,^(M) wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem.^{(N) 14} They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;^{(O) 16} but they were kept from recognizing him.^(P)

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas,^(Q) asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,”^(R) they replied. “He was a prophet,^(S) powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers^(T) handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.^(U) And what is more, it is the third day^(V) since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us.^(W) They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”^(X)

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”^{(Y) 27} And beginning with Moses^(Z) and all the Prophets,^(AA) he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.^(AB)

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it^(AC) and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,^(AD) and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us^(AE) while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures^(AF) to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord^(AG) has risen and has appeared to Simon.”^{(AH) 35} Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.^(AI)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”^(AJ)

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.^{(AK) 38} He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see;^(AL) a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish,