Old/New Testament
Progress in Spite of Opposition
4 When Sanballat(A) heard that we were rebuilding the wall,(B) he became furious. He mocked the Jews(C) 2 before his colleagues and the powerful men[a] of Samaria(D) and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones(E) back to life from the mounds of rubble?” (F) 3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite,(G) who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox(H) climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”
4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered[b] the builders.(I)
6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.(J)
7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs,(K) Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed,(L) they became furious.(M) 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. 9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.
10 In Judah, it was said:[c]
The strength of the laborer fails,
since there is so much rubble.
We will never be able
to rebuild the wall.
11 And our enemies said, “They won’t realize it[d] until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again,[e] “Everywhere you turn, they attack[f] us.” 13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,(N) “Don’t be afraid of them.(O) Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”(P)
Sword and Trowel
15 When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. 16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor.(Q) The officers supported all the people of Judah, 17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. 18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the one who sounded the ram’s horn was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,(R) “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.(S) 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” (T) 21 So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. 22 At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” 23 And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.[g]
Social Injustice
5 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. 2 Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” 3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.”(U) 4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax(V) on our fields and vineyards.(W) 5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery.(X) Some of our daughters are already enslaved,(Y) but we are powerless[h] because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 I became extremely angry(Z) when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.”(AA) So I called a large assembly against them 8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.”(AB) They remained silent and could not say a word.(AC) 9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God(AD) and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?(AE) 10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let’s stop charging this interest.[i] 11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage[j] of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil(AF) that you have been assessing them.”
12 They responded, “We will return these things and require nothing more from them.(AG) We will do as you say.”
So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath(AH) to do this. 13 I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out(AI) and have nothing!”
The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.(AJ)
Good and Bad Governors
14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes(AK) appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years(AL)—I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. 15 The governors(AM) who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them food and wine as well as a pound[k] of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but because of the fear of God, I didn’t do this.(AN) 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of this wall,(AO) and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.(AP)
17 There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table.(AQ) 18 Each[l] day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every ten days.(AR) But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
19 Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.(AS)
Attempts to Discourage the Builders
6 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies(AT) heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it(AU)—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gates(AV)— 2 Sanballat and Geshem(AW) sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of[m] the Ono Valley.”(AX) They were planning to harm me.
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.
5 Sanballat(AY) sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written:
It is reported among the nations—and Geshem[n](AZ) agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king 7 and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.”(BA) These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together.
8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”(BB) 9 For they were all trying to intimidate(BC) us, saying, “They will drop their hands from[o] the work,(BD) and it will never be finished.”
But now, my God, strengthen my hands.(BE)
Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:
Let’s meet at the house of God,
inside the temple.
Let’s shut the temple doors
because they’re coming to kill you.
They’re coming to kill you tonight![p]
11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live?(BF) I will not go.” 12 I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat(BG) had hired him. 13 He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,(BH) do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.
14 My God, remember(BI) Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah(BJ) and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.
The Wall Completed
15 The wall was completed(BK) in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.(BL) 16 When all our enemies(BM) heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated(BN) and lost their confidence,[q] for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.(BO)
17 During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,(BP) and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath(BQ) to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam(BR) son of Berechiah. 19 These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate(BS) me.
The Exiles Return
7 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed,(BT) the gatekeepers,(BU) singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 Then I put my brother Hanani(BV) in charge of Jerusalem,(BW) along with Hananiah,(BX) commander of the fortress,(BY) because he was a faithful man who feared God(BZ) more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”(CA)
4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.(CB) 5 Then my God put it into my mind(CC) to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:(CD)
6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar(CE) of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town.(CF) 7 They came with Zerubbabel,(CG) Jeshua,(CH) Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included[r]
| 8 Parosh’s descendants(CI) | 2,172 |
| 9 Shephatiah’s descendants | 372 |
| 10 Arah’s descendants | 652 |
| 11 Pahath-moab’s descendants: | |
| Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants | 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(CJ) | 667 |
| 19 Bigvai’s descendants | 2,067 |
| 20 Adin’s descendants(CK) | 655 |
| 21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah | 98 |
| 22 Hashum’s descendants | 328 |
| 23 Bezai’s descendants | 324 |
| 24 Hariph’s descendants | 112 |
| 25 Gibeon’s[s] descendants | 95 |
| 26 Bethlehem’s(CL) and Netophah’s(CM) men | 188 |
| 27 Anathoth’s(CN) men | 128 |
| 28 Beth-azmaveth’s men | 42 |
| 29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men | 743 |
| 30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men | 621 |
| 31 Michmas’s men | 122 |
| 32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men(CO) | 123 |
| 33 the other Nebo’s men | 52 |
| 34 the other Elam’s people | 1,254 |
| 35 Harim’s people | 320 |
| 36 Jericho’s people(CP) | 345 |
| 37 Lod’s,(CQ) Hadid’s, and Ono’s people | 721 |
| 38 Senaah’s people | 3,930. |
39 The priests included
| Jedaiah’s(CR) descendants of the house of Jeshua | 973 |
| 40 Immer’s descendants | 1,052 |
| 41 Pashhur’s descendants | 1,247 |
| 42 Harim’s descendants | 1,017. |
43 The Levites(CS) included
| Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel | |
| Hodevah’s descendants | 74. |
44 The singers(CT) included
| Asaph’s descendants | 148. |
45 The gatekeepers(CU) included
| Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, | |
| Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, | |
| Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants | 138. |
46 The temple servants(CV) included
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,
Tabbaoth’s descendants, 47 Keros’s descendants,
Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,
Shalmai’s descendants, 49 Hanan’s descendants,
Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants, 51 Gazzam’s descendants,
Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants,
Nephishesim’s[t] descendants, 53 Bakbuk’s descendants,
Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,
54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants,
Harsha’s descendants, 55 Barkos’s descendants,
Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,
56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants(CW) included
Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants,
Perida’s descendants, 58 Jaala’s descendants,
Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants,
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.
| 60 All the temple servants | |
| and the descendants of Solomon’s servants(CX) | 392. |
61 The following(CY) are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families[u] and their lineage were Israelite:
| 62 Delaiah’s descendants, | |
| Tobiah’s descendants, | |
| and Nekoda’s descendants | 642 |
63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name. 64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 65 The governor(CZ) ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.(DA)
| 66 The whole combined assembly numbered | 42,360 |
| 67 not including their 7,337 male and female servants, | |
| as well as their 245 male and female singers. | |
| 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,[v] | |
| 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.(DB) |
70 Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins,[w] 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. 71 Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. 73 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.(DC)
Public Reading of the Law
When the seventh month(DD) came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know.(A) 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used[a] lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.(B) 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death,(C) because it was not possible for him to be held by death. 25 For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me in Hades
or allow your holy one to see decay.(D)
28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;
you will fill me with gladness
in your presence.[b](E)
29 “Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.(F) 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants[c] on his throne.(G) 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He[d] was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.[e](H)
32 “God has raised(I) this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God(J) and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit,(K) he has poured out(L) what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’[f](M)
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”(N)
Call to Repentance
37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” (O)
38 Peter replied, “Repent(P) and be baptized,(Q) each of you, in the name(R) 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 who are far off,(S) as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt[g] generation!” (T) 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.
A Generous and Growing Church
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,(U) to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.(V)
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.(W) 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.(X) 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,(Y) 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number[h] those who were being saved.(Z)
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