The Law of the Lord Is Perfect

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

5 Now there arose ^(A)a great outcry of the people and of their wives ^(B)against their Jewish brothers. ² For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” ³ There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” ⁴ And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for ^(C)the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. ⁵ Now ^(D)our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet ^(E)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

⁶ I was very angry when I heard ^(F)their outcry and these words. ⁷ I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, ^(G)“You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them ⁸ and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, ^(H)have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹ So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk ^(I)in the fear of our God ^(J)to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ¹⁰ Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. ¹¹ Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” ¹² Then they said, “We will restore these and ^(K)require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and ^(L)made them swear ^(M)to do as they had promised. ^13 (N)I also shook out the fold^[a] of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” ^(O)And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And when they had performed everything according to ^(A)the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of ^(B)Nazareth. ^40 (C)And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ Now ^(D)his parents went ^(E)to Jerusalem every year at ^(F)the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, ^(G)they went up according to custom. ⁴³ And when the feast ^(H)was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. ^(I)His parents did not know it, ⁴⁴ but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵ and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, ^(J)sitting among ^(K)the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ And when his parents^[a] saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, ^(L)your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹ And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that ^(M)I must be in ^(N)my Father's house?”^{[b] 50} And ^(O)they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹ And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And ^(P)his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus ^(Q)increased in wisdom and in stature^[c] and in ^(R)favor with God and man.