¹² I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

¹⁷ Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.^(A) Come, let us rebuild the wall^(B) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.^(C)”

²⁰ I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,^(A) but as for you, you have no share^(B) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”