Ezra Reads and Explains the Law

8 Now all ^(A)the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was ^(B)in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the ^(C)scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. ² So Ezra the priest brought ^(D)the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding ^(E)on the first day of the seventh month.

⁵ And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people ^(A)stood up. ⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.

Then all the people ^(B)answered, “Amen, Amen!” while ^(C)lifting up their hands. And they ^(D)bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

^9 (A)And Nehemiah, who was the ^[a]governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ^(B)“This day is holy to the Lord your God; ^(C)do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, ^(D)and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹ So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” ¹² And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to ^(E)send portions and rejoice greatly, because they ^(F)understood the words that were declared to them.

The Feast of Tabernacles^(G)

¹³ Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.

The Good Confession

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus ^(A)who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, ¹⁵ which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only ^[a]Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, dwelling in ^(B)unapproachable light, ^(C)whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

²⁶ Therefore do not fear them. ^(A)For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God^(B)

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, ^(C)speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ^28 (D)And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather ^(E)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ^[a]hell. ²⁹ Are not two ^(F)sparrows sold for a ^[b]copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ^30 (G)But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men^(H)

^32 (I)“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, ^(J)him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ^33 (K)But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.