Old/New Testament
Opposition Begins
4 [a] Now it happened when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he became angry and greatly provoked, and he mocked the Jews. 2 Then he said before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are the feeble Jews doing? Will they restore these things for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the piles of rubble—even those burned up?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him and said, “Their wall of stone that they are building would break down if a fox went on it!”
4 Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn on their head and give them over to plunder in the land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you. They have provoked the builders to anger.[b]
6 So we rebuilt the wall, and all of the wall was joined up to half its height. For the people had a heart to do it.
Opposition Stopped
7 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem were going forward and the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 So all of them plotted together to come fight against Jerusalem and to make trouble for it. 9 So we prayed to our God and set up a guard against them day and night.
10 But Judah said, “The strength of the carriers is failing, and there is too much dirt, and we are not able to build at the wall.” 11 Then our enemies said, “They will not know nor see until we come upon them and will kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived beside them came, they said to us ten times, “From all of the places where they live, they will come up against us.” 13 I stationed the people behind the deepest part of the wall in the open places according to their families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 And I looked, got up, and said to the nobles, prefects, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
15 It happened when our enemies heard that their plan was known to us, that God had frustrated it, and we all returned to the wall—each to his work. 16 From that day, half of my servants were working on craftsmanship, half were holding spears, small shields, bows, and breastplates. The commanders were behind the whole house of Judah. 17 The ones who were building the wall and the ones who carried the materials[c] were carrying in one hand while doing the task, and with the other hand were grasping a weapon. 18 Each of the builders had his sword tied to his side while building. And the man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 I said to the nobles, to the prefects, and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widespread, and we are spread out over the wall far from each other. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come together to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
21 So we labored at the work, and half of them were holding the spears from dawn until the stars came out. 22 At the time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they will be a guard for us in the night and work in the day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my young men nor the men of the guard who were behind me took off our clothes. Each one kept his weapon even in the water.
Nehemiah Deals with Strife
5 Now there was a great cry of distress of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 There were those who were saying, “Our sons and daughters, we are many. We must get grain so that we may eat and live.” 3 There were also those saying, “We have pledged our fields and our vineyards and our houses so that we can get grain in the famine.” 4 And there were those who were saying, “We have borrowed money on our fields and our vineyards for the tax of the king. 5 Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our sons are like their sons. Look, we are subduing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and there are some from our daughters being molested. We are powerless,[d] and our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 I was very angry when I heard their shouts and these words. 7 I thought over this in my heart, and then I quarreled with the nobles and the prefects. I said to them, “You yourselves are taking interest from your own brother!” So I called the great assembly against them, 8 and I said to them: “We ourselves have bought back our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations as we were able. But now you yourselves have sold your brothers so 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. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the disgrace from the nations, our enemies? 10 Also, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please stop taking this interest. 11 Please restore to them this day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, their houses, and the interest on the money, the grain, the grape juice, and the olive oil that you have been taking from them.” 12 So they said, “We will restore it and will not request anything more. So we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests and made them take an oath to do this promise. 13 I also shook out my garment and said, “This is how God will shake out everyone from his house who will not keep this promise. So this is how his possessions will be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised Yahweh, and the people kept this promise.
Nehemiah Denies His Allotment
14 Moreover, from the appointed day I was made their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years. My brothers and I did not eat the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and they took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels. Also, their servants controlled the people, but I did not do so because of the fear of God. 16 I also devoted myself to the work of this wall, and we did not buy land. All of my servants were gathered for the work. 17 One hundred and fifty men, prefects and Jews, and those who came to us from the nations around us, were at my table. 18 Now what was prepared each day for me was one ox, six choice sheep, and birds. And every ten days all kinds of wine were made. But for this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor because the slavery was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember me for good, my God, all that I have done for this people.
Enemies Foiled
6 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall and that no gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not erected doors in the gates— 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they planned to do evil to me. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I am not able to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you all?” 4 And they sent a message to me four times like this, and I returned an answer like this to them. 5 And Sanballat sent his servant with an open letter, another word like this to me a fifth time, in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It has been reported among the nations, and Gashmu also is saying it, that you and the Jews are considering rebellion. Therefore, truly you are building the wall and you are becoming their king, according to these words. 7 You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now it will be proclaimed to the king according to these words. Now, come and we will plan together.” 8 So I sent to him saying, “None of these words you have spoken has happened. You are indeed saying things created in your own mind”— 9 for all of them sought to frighten us, saying, “their hands will not do the work.” And now, God, strengthen my hands.
10 Now I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, and he said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple; for they are coming to kill you—during the night they are coming to kill you.” 11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? And would a man like me go into the temple so that he can save his life? I will not go in!” 12 Then I look and realized God had not sent him; rather, he had spoken the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he was hired: to frighten me so that I would act and sin, so that they would have a bad report so they could taunt me. 14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to their works, and also Noadiah the prophetess, and the remainder of the prophets who were frightening me.
The Wall is Completed
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 When our enemies heard of this, all of the nations surrounding us were afraid and lost their confidence.[e] They knew that this work had been done with the help of our God. 17 Also, in those days the nobles of Judah increasingly sent their letters to Tobiah, and letters from Tobiah returned to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan took as a wife the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 They also were speaking of his good deeds in my presence, and they were sending my words out to him. Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
7 Now when the wall had been built and I had erected the doors and appointed the gatekeepers, singers, and the Levites, 2 I gave command over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house.” 4 The city was widespread and large, but the people in it were few and no houses were rebuilt.
Lists of the Exiles Who Returned
5 Then my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, the prefects, and the people to be enrolled. I found the book of the genealogy of those who first came back, and I found this written upon it:
6 These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city. 7 These came with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the descendants[f] of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. 9 The descendants[g] of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. 10 The descendants[h] of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. 11 The descendants[i] of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants[j] of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The descendants[k] of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 13 The descendants[l] of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. 14 The descendants[m] of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 15 The descendants[n] of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. 16 The descendants[o] of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. 17 The descendants[p] of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. 18 The descendants[q] of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. 19 The descendants[r] of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. 20 The descendants[s] of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. 21 The descendants[t] of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22 The descendants[u] of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. 23 The descendants[v] of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. 24 The descendants[w] of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. 25 The descendants[x] of Gibeon, ninety-five. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight. 27 The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. 28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. 29 The men of Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. 31 The men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. 33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. 34 The people[y] of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 35 The people[z] of Harim, three hundred and twenty. 36 The people[aa] of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. 37 The people[ab] of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. 38 The people[ac] of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
39 The priests: The descendants[ad] of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 40 The descendants[ae] of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. 41 The descendants[af] of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. 42 The descendants[ag] of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
43 The Levites: the descendants[ah] of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants[ai] of Hodaviah, seventy-four. 44 The singers: the descendants[aj] of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. 45 The gatekeepers: the descendants[ak] of Shallum, the descendants[al] of Ater, the descendants[am] of Talmon, the descendants[an] of Akkub, the descendants[ao] of Hatita, the descendants[ap] of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.
46 The temple servants: the descendants[aq] of Ziha, the descendants[ar] of Hasupha, the descendants[as] of Tabbaoth, 47 the descendants[at] of Keros, the descendants[au] of Siaha, the descendants[av] of Padon, 48 the descendants[aw] of Lebanah, the descendants[ax] of Hagaba, the descendants[ay] of Shalmai, 49 the descendants[az] of Hanan, the descendants[ba] of Giddel, the descendants[bb] of Gahar, 50 the descendants[bc] of Reaiah, the descendants[bd] of Rezin, the descendants[be] of Nekoda, 51 the descendants[bf] of Gazzam, the descendants[bg] of Uzza, the descendants[bh] of Paseah, 52 the descendants[bi] of Besai, the descendants[bj] of Meunim, the descendants[bk] of Nephushesim, 53 the descendants[bl] of Bakbuk, the descendants[bm] of Hakupha, the descendants[bn] of Harhur, 54 the descendants[bo] of Bazlith, the descendants[bp] of Mehida, the descendants[bq] of Harsha, 55 the descendants[br] of Barkos, the descendants[bs] of Sisera, the descendants[bt] of Temah, 56 the descendants[bu] of Neziah, the descendants[bv] of Hatipha.
57 The descendants[bw] of Solomon’s servants: the descendants[bx] of Sotai, the descendants[by] of Sophereth, the descendants[bz] of Perida, 58 the descendants[ca] of Jaala, the descendants[cb] of Darkon, the descendants[cc] of Giddel, 59 the descendants[cd] of Shephatiah, the descendants[ce] of Hattil, the descendants[cf] of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants[cg] of Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the descendants[ch] of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
61 These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: 62 the descendants[ci] of Delaiah, the descendants[cj] of Tobiah, the descendants[ck] of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. 63 And from the priests: the descendants[cl] of Hobaiah, the descendants[cm] of Hakkoz, the descendants[cn] of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. 65 So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim.
66 All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 67 besides their servants and female slaves—these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five,[co] 69 [cp] there were four hundred and thirty-five camels and six thousand seven hundred and twenty male donkeys.
70 Now some from the heads of the families[cq] gave to the work. The governor gave to the storehouse one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly tunics. 71 Now some of the heads of the families[cr] gave to the storehouse of the work twenty thousand gold darics and two thousand two hundred silver minas. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly tunics.
73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their cities. When the seventh month came, the Israelites[cs] were in their cities.
22 “Israelite men, listen to these words! Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this man, delivered up by the determined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by[a] nailing to a cross[b] through the hand of lawless men. 24 God raised him[c] up, having brought to an end the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says with reference to him,
‘I saw the Lord before me continually,[d]
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.
26 For this reason my heart was glad
and my tongue rejoiced greatly,
furthermore also my flesh will live in hope,
27 because you will not abandon my soul in Hades,
nor will you permit your Holy One to experience decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with gladness with your presence.’[e]
29 “Men and brothers, it is possible to speak with confidence to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us until this day. 30 Therefore, because he[f] was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants[g] on his throne, 31 by[h] having foreseen this,[i] he spoke about the resurrection of the Christ,[j] that neither was he abandoned in Hades nor did his flesh experience decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, of which[k] we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out this that you see and hear.[l] 34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’[m]
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt, that God has made him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified!”
The Response to Peter’s Sermon
37 Now when they[n] heard this,[o] they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “What should we do, men and brothers?” 38 And Peter said[p] to them, “Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all those who are far away, as many as the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly urged and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!” 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.
The Fellowship of the First Believers
42 And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. 43 And fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were being performed by the apostles. 44 And all who believed were in the same place, and had everything in common. 45 And they began selling[q] their[r] possessions and property, and distributing these things to all, to the degree that anyone had need. 46 And every day, devoting themselves to meeting[s] with one purpose in the temple courts[t] and breaking bread from house to house, they were eating their food with joy and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding every day to the total of those who were being saved.
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