Old/New Testament
7 Later, when the wall was completed and the doors had finally been set in their places, the temple gatekeepers were appointed to protect the city, with the help of the singers and the Levites. 2 I placed Hanani, my brother, in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, the captain of the fortress. Hanani was honest and faithful, and in the fear of God he surpassed most men. 3 I commissioned these two men.
Nehemiah: Do not open the gates of Jerusalem while the sun is fully risen; make sure you close and secure the gates, and the gatekeepers will still watch over them. As for the guards, get men who live within Jerusalem. Have some stand watch at the regular stations and have those whose houses abut the city wall stand guard in front of their homes.
4 While Jerusalem was large and open, its population was still very small. In fact, no homes had yet been rebuilt, and without people it seemed empty.
5 It was at that time that God inspired me to gather those people who were in the city. I called the nobles, the officials of the city, and the common folk. I had found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return to Jerusalem; this is what the record showed:
6 A list of the Jews exiled under Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, living in the province of Jerusalem who returned from captivity in Babylon. They came back to Jerusalem and other towns around Judah, each returning to his home. 7 They were the first to journey back, following the leadership of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The men of the population of Israel, listed by their family of origin— 8 Parosh’s descendants: 2,172; 9 Shephatiah’s descendants: 372; 10 Arah’s descendants: 652; 11 Pahath-moab’s descendants (from Jeshua and Joab’s line): 2,818; 12 Elam’s descendants: 1,254; 13 Zattu’s descendants: 845; 14 Zaccai’s descendants: 760; 15 Binnui’s descendants: 648; 16 Bebai’s descendants: 628; 17 Azgad’s descendants: 2,322; 18 Adonikam’s descendants: 667; 19 Bigvai and his descendants: 2,067; 20 Adin’s descendants: 655; 21 Ater’s descendants (from Hezekiah’s line): 98; 22 Hashum’s descendants: 328; 23 Bezai’s descendants: 324; 24 Hariph’s descendants: 112; 25 Gibeon’s descendants: 95.
The men in the population of Israel listed by their place of origin— 26 the people of Bethlehem and Netophah: 188; 27 the people of Anathoth: 128; 28 the people of Beth-azmaveth: 42; 29 the people of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: 743; 30 the people of Ramah and Geba: 621; 31 the people of Michmas: 122; 32 the people of Bethel and Ai: 123; 33 the people of Nebo (the other one): 52; 34 the people of Elam (the other one): 1,254; 35 the people of Harim: 320; 36 the people of Jericho: 345; 37 the people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721; 38 the people of Senaah: 3,930.
The men in the population of Israel listed by their responsibilities— 39 the priestly families—Jedaiah’s descendants (from Jeshua’s line): 973; 40 Immer’s descendants: 1,052; 41 Pashhur’s descendants: 1,247; 42 Harim’s descendants: 1,017; 43 the Levitical families—Jeshua’s descendants (from Kadmiel and Hodevah’s line): 74. 44 The singers—Asaph’s descendants: 148. 45 The gatekeepers—Shallum’s, Ater’s, Talmon’s, Akkub’s, Hatita’s, and Shobai’s descendants: 138. 46 The temple servants—Ziha’s, Hasupha’s, Tabbaoth’s, 47 Keros’s, Sia’s, Padon’s, 48 Lebana’s, Hagaba’s, Shalmai’s, 49 Hanan’s, Giddel’s, Gahar’s, 50 Reaiah’s, Rezin’s, Nekoda’s, 51 Gazzam’s, Uzza’s, Paseah’s, 52 Besai’s, Meunim’s, Nephushesim’s, 53 Bakbuk’s, Hakupha’s, Harhur’s, 54 Bazlith’s, Mehida’s, Harsha’s, 55 Barkos’s, Sisera’s, Temah’s, 56 Neziah’s, and Hatipha’s descendants. 57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants—Sotai’s, Sophereth’s, Perida’s, 58 Jaala’s, Darkon’s, Giddel’s, 59 Shephatiah’s, Hattil’s, Pochereth-hazzebaim’s, and Amon’s descendants. 60 Combined, the temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants added up to 392.
61 At the time of our reckoning, people from the outlying towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer came into Jerusalem. Their names, however, could not be found in the official record, and they had no records of their own to prove they had descended from the families of Israel. This group included 62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda and totaled 642 people. 63 Three families claiming to come from priestly families also returned: Hobaiah’s, Hakkoz’s, and Barzillai’s descendants. (Barzillai had married a woman descended from Barzillai of Gilead—he took her name as his own). 64 After searching the genealogical records they, too, were unable to find their names, and so they were considered impure and disqualified from serving in the priesthood. 65 As the governor appointed by Persia,[a] I ordered them not to eat any of the sacred food set apart for priests until a priest could be found to consult God on this matter with the sacred stones, Urim and Thummim.
Much like the Urim and Thummim, the exact identity of this book of the law (8:3) cannot be positively known. Most assume this law is some form of the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Old Testament. Those books are the foundational principles for the Jews’ proper worship of God, containing some 613 specific laws, so it is likely the text (or at the very least the knowledge) of the Pentateuch would have survived the exile because of its importance. Priests would have cared for it and not let the laws be completely forgotten among their people.
Because of their separation from Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, proper worship of God has been impossible during the exile. After 100 years in foreign lands, the layperson may have remembered to observe the major laws such as “Do not murder,” but the details of festivals and Sabbath observance are surely forgotten. So, many years later, it only takes half a day of reading to remind the Jews of their covenant with God and reinvigorate them to serve Him.
Not much is known about these ancient divination devices called Urim and Thummim. They are first mentioned in Exodus as 28:30 when God is giving Moses instructions on the clothing for the high priest. These tools were to be carried in the breast piece of judgment, and presumably were only used by the high priest. Suggestions as to their form and function come from the discovery of similar devices in other cultures of the ancient Near East. They may have been flat stones painted different colors, metal objects engraved with symbols, large dice, small sticks, or anything else imaginable. However they may have relayed God’s will, they were clearly effective tools used to discover God’s will in political situations.
66 When our census was complete, we numbered 42,360, 67 as well as the 7,337 male and female servants, 245 male and female singers, 68 and many animals: 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
70 Some of the heads of families made contributions so that the work we had begun could continue. As the governor, I contributed 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold bowls, 30 priests’ robes, and 630 pounds of silver.[b] 71 Then other family leaders began to give too: 20,000 gold coins and roughly 2,750 pounds of silver. 72 Together the rest of the community added 20,000 gold coins, 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 priestly robes. 73 Then the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, many common folk, and the rest of Israel returned to live in their towns. This was finished by the beginning of the seventh month.
8 When everyone had settled, they re-gathered in Jerusalem. Everyone met in the square that is in front of the water gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law, the word the Eternal sent through Moses to Israel. 2 Ezra the priest did as they asked, bringing God’s law to Israel. The community included both men and women—anyone who was able to understand was welcomed. This gathering took place on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Facing the people in the square, next to the water gate, he began to read excerpts. The document was massive, and just reading parts took him six or seven hours, from daybreak until noon. Everyone who was there heard him: men, women—anyone with the ability to understand. As he read, they were focused and listened carefully to the book of the law.
4 And as he read, Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform made for this very occasion. To his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Standing above the people so they could see and hear him, Ezra opened the book of the law. As he opened the book, everyone stood. 6 Then Ezra called out and blessed the Eternal, worshiping God’s greatness. With their hands raised to the heavens, the people called out loudly in response, crying, “Amen! So may it be!” Then they fell to their knees and bowed. With their faces to the ground, they worshiped the Eternal. 7-8 Ezra read the law, the people listened, and the Levites explained it to them. Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—these are the Levites[c] who interpreted what Ezra read for the people.
9 Now, as God’s law was read, the people began to weep. But Nehemiah (the Persians’ appointed governor),[d] Ezra the priest and scribe, and all the ministering Levites said to the people,
Leaders: This day is sacred to the Eternal One, your God. It is not a day for mourning and weeping.
Ezra: 10 Go back to your homes, and prepare a feast. Bring out the best food and drink you have, and welcome all to your table, especially those who have nothing. This day is special. It is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve over your past mistakes. Let the Eternal’s own joy be your protection!
Levites: 11 Be still. This is sacred time and space. Do not mourn.
12 Then the celebration really began. The people had heard God’s words and understood them. When the people went away to eat and to drink in their homes, no one was left out of the feasting, not even the poor.
13 The next day, the heads of every family, along with the priests and the Levites, regathered around Ezra the scribe to further study God’s law. 14 As they studied the law, they discovered that through Moses, the Eternal had commanded Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Feast of Booths of the seventh month. 15 So they issued a proclamation, and it went out to everyone in Jerusalem and in every town that people should go into the hills to gather branches from olive trees, wild olive trees, myrtle trees, palm trees—any kind of leafy tree they could find. With these branches they were told to build temporary shelters to house them during the festival, as God’s law declared. 16 So the people went out and gathered branches. They built temporary shelters anywhere they could—on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the temple courts, in the squares by the water gate and the gate of Ephraim. 17 Everyone who had returned from exile—all 42,360 people—made the temporary shelters and lived in them. From the time of Joshua (Nun’s son) until that very day, no one in Israel had observed the festival in this way, remembering those from the Egyptian exile too. So they celebrated, and their joy was great. 18 Throughout everything, Ezra continued to read from the book of God’s law, day by day. The celebration of the feast continued for seven days. On the eighth day, in keeping with the directions given, Israel gathered for a solemn assembly.
9 Later, on the 24th day of that same month, the Israelites came back together. Everyone fasted and wore sackcloth to show their repentance. They covered their heads with dust to show their mourning. 2 They also separated themselves from the foreigners who were living among them. Then the Israelites stood up and confessed their sins and the sins of their dead ancestors. 3 For three hours[e] they stood in their designated places and read from the book of the Eternal’s law. Following that they confessed and worshiped the Eternal One, their True God, for another three hours. 4 On the stairs above them stood the Levites: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. With loud cries they called out to the Eternal, their True God.
5 The same Levites (Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah) instructed the people.
Levites: Stand up! Worship the Eternal who is your God who exists from everlasting to everlasting.
May Your glorious name be praised—
even lifted up beyond all blessing and praise.
6 You are the Eternal, the only One.
The skies are Your work alone—
You made the heavens above those skies
and the stars that fill them.
You made the earth and everything upon it,
the seas and all that lives within their depths.
Your creation lives and is sustained by You,
and those who dwell in the heavens
Fall down before You and worship.
7 You are the Eternal God.
You chose Abram and drew him out from Ur of the Chaldees.
You changed his name to Abraham.
8 In him You found a true heart,
a heart devoted to You.
With him You made a covenant that
the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites,
The Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites
would belong to him and to his descendants.
And what You have promised, You have done
because You are righteous.
9 When our ancestors suffered in Egypt,
You saw their misery.
When they were trapped at the edge of the Red Sea,
You heard their cries for help.
10-11 Pharaoh and all who served him
and all his subjects were completely overwhelmed
by the signs and wonders You performed.
In their arrogance, they opposed Your people, our ancestors.
So You opened the sea, and Your people walked through the water on dry ground,
and no one has forgotten the name of the One who did it to this day.
But the Egyptians pursued our ancestors into the sea,
You threw those running after our ancestors into the depths of the sea,
like a heavy rock hurled into water.
12 During the day, You led them by a cloud shaped like a pillar.
During the night, a pillar of fire lit the way, showing them where to go.
13 You led them to Mount Sinai;
and when they arrived, You came down from heaven and spoke to them.
You gave them right decrees and good laws,
beneficial statutes and commands revealing Your will for them.
14 You revealed to Your people Your sacred Sabbath
and how to keep it holy.
Through Your servant Moses You taught them how to live,
giving commands and decrees.
15 When Your people were hungry,
You gave them food from heaven.
When they were thirsty, You made water flow out of a rock.
You told them to enter the land You promised them.
You told them to enter and take possession of it.
16-17 But our ancestors resisted following You.
They were arrogant. They were proud.
They refused to obey Your commands, plugging their ears.
Knowing what You had done for them in the past,
They willfully forgot it in the present. Stubborn. Rebellious.
Instead of following You,
They appointed their own leader
to take them back to the land of their oppression—to Egypt!
But You are not like us, God.
You are filled with love, compassion, and forgiveness.
You endure much with your anger and display Your loyal love;
You did not abandon them,
18 Even when they molded a cow out of gold for themselves, saying,
“This is the god who rescued us from Egypt.”
They committed horrible atrocities.
19 In Your incomprehensible compassion,
You did not abandon them in the wilderness.
The pillar of cloud didn’t evaporate;
day by day it guided them.
The pillar of fire was not extinguished;
night by night it led them along the right paths.
20 In Your generosity, You gave them Your good Spirit to teach them.
Not once did You hold back manna for their mouths
or drink for their thirst.
21 In 40 years of living in the wilderness,
You provided for every need they had:
Their clothing did not wear out,
nor did their feet swell from endless walking.
22 You gave them kingdoms and peoples
that they could divide up to the corners of their territory:
The country of Sihon (king of Hesbon)
and the territory of Og (king of Bashan).
23 The children of Israel multiplied
and rivaled the stars in the sky.
You brought them to the very land
You promised Abraham’s
His descendants would come into and possess.
24 Into the land they went, and it became theirs.
For our forefathers You made sure even the Canaanites there were powerless.
You subdued everything and everyone to their power—
land, kings, and people—to do with as they pleased.
25 They overwhelmed strong and secure cities.
They overtook fertile, productive land.
They claimed well-furnished houses, wells that were already dug,
vineyards, olive groves, and orchards filled with fruit.
They ate their fill. They grew fat.
They basked in Your generosity and goodness.
26 Even so, again they chose to defy You.
They rebelled.
They abandoned Your law.
They killed the prophets who spoke Your word,
who pleaded with them to return to You, God.
And again, atrocities multiplied on top of atrocities.
27 So You surrendered them to their enemies,
and Your people suffered at their hands.
And in pain, they cried out to You.
From heaven You listened,
And in keeping with Your changeless and compassionate character,
You sent them liberators,
Saviors who rescued them from their cruel adversaries.
28 As soon as they were at peace, they began to wander and abandoned You
and did evil things, so You abandoned them to their enemies.
Thus, once more, You allowed them to be conquered.
Somehow Your mercy is inexhaustible.
Once more You listened to them when they cried to You in heaven for help.
Over and over and over You intervened and saved Your people.
29 You also warned them to return to Your ways
and follow the laws You have given.
They arrogantly violated the very commands,
Which if they would obey them
then they would live by them.
Stubborn, they turned away from You,
tensed their necks, and stopped listening.
30 Year after year, Your patience endured.
Your Spirit animated prophets, and they spoke many warnings to them.
In not listening and turning away from the prophets,
they turned directly into their advancing enemies.
31 It was because of Your great mercy
that they were not completely annihilated or forsaken.
You are a grace-filled and mercy-laden God;
32 Our True God—You who are great, majestic, and awesome,
You who always keep Your covenant of loyal love—
do not overlook the trouble we are facing here today.
This trouble confronts us all:
our kings and our princes,
our priests and our prophets, our ancestors and all of Your people—
From the time of the Assyrian kings until today.
33 You are righteous in all that You have done to us.
You have faithfully upheld Your part of the covenant,
but we have acted with evil.
34 None of our kings, princes, priests, or ancestors followed Your law.
They actively rejected Your commands and ignored the many warnings You sent.
35 Even when they had everything—
when they ruled in their own land without worry according to Your great generosity,
When they relaxed into the spacious and fertile land
You set before them—
Even then they refused to serve You
or turn away from their wicked ways.
36 And we are once again slaves in the bountiful land
You gave to our ancestors for our pleasure and enjoyment—
we are slaves in our own land!
37 We have sown sin, and the labor we provide on this land feeds the kings You have placed over us.
Our bodies and our beasts do not belong to us,
But to them, and they do with us what they want.
Our distress is great.
38 In light of it, we are writing a covenantal agreement.
It is sealed with the names of our leaders, our Levites, and our priests.
Although this young and thriving church has no political influence, property, fame, or wealth, it is powerful. Its power is centered in living the gospel. The people value one another more than any possessions. They come together as a large, passionate, healthy family where it is natural to pray and share all of life together. The kingdom of God is blossoming on earth as these lovers of God embrace the teachings of Jesus. In the days ahead, the church will lose much of this initial beauty and appeal; it will become consumed with a desire for material possessions, cultural influence, and power.
3 One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, a customary time for daily prayer, Peter and John walked to the temple. 2 Some people were carrying in a man who had been paralyzed since birth. Every day they brought him to a place near the beautiful gate (one of the temple entrances) so he could beg for money from people entering to worship. 3 He saw Peter and John coming and asked them for a contribution. 4 Peter gazed intensely at him—so did John.
Peter: Look at us.
5 The man looked up at them, assuming they were about to give him some money.
Peter: 6 I want to give you something, but I don’t have any silver or gold. Here’s what I can offer you: stand up and walk in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Anointed One.
7 Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him to his feet. Instantly the man’s feet and ankles grew strong. 8 He jumped and walked, accompanying Peter and John into the temple where he walked, jumped for joy, and shouted praises to God. 9-11 A crowd ran to the commotion, and they gathered around this man in an open area called Solomon’s Porch. There he was, standing on his own two feet, holding on to Peter and John. They knew exactly who he was—the beggar they passed at the beautiful gate every day. Everyone was absolutely amazed at this wonderful miracle; they were speechless, stunned.
Just as Jesus promised, the Spirit comes on believers in power, enabling them to do miracles like this. Now they can participate in the truth of the good news.
Peter (to the crowd): 12 Why are you so amazed, my fellow Israelites? Why are you staring at my friend and me as though we did this miracle through our own power or made this fellow walk by our own holiness? 13 We didn’t do this—God did! The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob—the God of our ancestors has glorified Jesus, God’s servant—the same Jesus whom you betrayed and rejected in front of Pilate, even though Pilate was going to release Him. 14 He is the Holy and Righteous One, but you rejected Him and asked for a murderer to be released to you instead. 15 You not only rejected Him, but you killed Him—the very Author of life! But God raised Jesus from the dead, whom my friend John and I have seen with our own eyes. 16 So that’s how this miracle happened: we have faith in the name of Jesus, and He is the power that made this man strong—this man who is known to all of you. It is faith in Jesus that has given this man his complete health here today, in front of all of you.
17 Listen, friends, I know you didn’t fully realize what you were doing when you rejected and betrayed Jesus. I know that you, and your rulers as well, were acting in ignorance. 18 God was at work in all this, fulfilling what He had predicted through all the prophets—that the Anointed One would suffer. 19 So now you need to rethink everything and turn to God so your sins will be forgiven and a new day can dawn, days of refreshing times flowing from the Lord. 20 Then God may send Jesus the Anointed, whom God has chosen for you. 21 He is in heaven now and must remain there until the day of universal restoration comes—the restoration which in ancient times God announced through the holy prophets. 22 Moses, for example, said, “The Eternal One your God will raise up from among your people a prophet who will be like me. You must listen to Him. 23 And whoever does not listen to His words will be completely uprooted from among the people.”[a]
24 Every prophet, from Samuel through all of his successors, agreed. 25 You are the descendants of these prophets, and you are the people of God’s covenant to your ancestors. God’s word to Abraham includes you: “Because of your descendants, all the families of the earth will be blessed.”[b] 26 So when God raised up His Servant, God sent Him first to you, to begin blessing you by calling you to change your path from evil ways to God’s ways.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.