Old/New Testament
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[a] of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. 9 The descendants[b] of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. 10 The descendants[c] of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. 11 The descendants[d] of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants[e] of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The descendants[f] of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 13 The descendants[g] of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. 14 The descendants[h] of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 15 The descendants[i] of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. 16 The descendants[j] of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. 17 The descendants[k] of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. 18 The descendants[l] of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. 19 The descendants[m] of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. 20 The descendants[n] of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. 21 The descendants[o] of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22 The descendants[p] of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. 23 The descendants[q] of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. 24 The descendants[r] of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. 25 The descendants[s] 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[t] of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 35 The people[u] of Harim, three hundred and twenty. 36 The people[v] of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. 37 The people[w] of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. 38 The people[x] of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
39 The priests: The descendants[y] of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 40 The descendants[z] of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. 41 The descendants[aa] of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. 42 The descendants[ab] of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
43 The Levites: the descendants[ac] of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants[ad] of Hodaviah, seventy-four. 44 The singers: the descendants[ae] of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. 45 The gatekeepers: the descendants[af] of Shallum, the descendants[ag] of Ater, the descendants[ah] of Talmon, the descendants[ai] of Akkub, the descendants[aj] of Hatita, the descendants[ak] of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.
46 The temple servants: the descendants[al] of Ziha, the descendants[am] of Hasupha, the descendants[an] of Tabbaoth, 47 the descendants[ao] of Keros, the descendants[ap] of Siaha, the descendants[aq] of Padon, 48 the descendants[ar] of Lebanah, the descendants[as] of Hagaba, the descendants[at] of Shalmai, 49 the descendants[au] of Hanan, the descendants[av] of Giddel, the descendants[aw] of Gahar, 50 the descendants[ax] of Reaiah, the descendants[ay] of Rezin, the descendants[az] of Nekoda, 51 the descendants[ba] of Gazzam, the descendants[bb] of Uzza, the descendants[bc] of Paseah, 52 the descendants[bd] of Besai, the descendants[be] of Meunim, the descendants[bf] of Nephushesim, 53 the descendants[bg] of Bakbuk, the descendants[bh] of Hakupha, the descendants[bi] of Harhur, 54 the descendants[bj] of Bazlith, the descendants[bk] of Mehida, the descendants[bl] of Harsha, 55 the descendants[bm] of Barkos, the descendants[bn] of Sisera, the descendants[bo] of Temah, 56 the descendants[bp] of Neziah, the descendants[bq] of Hatipha.
57 The descendants[br] of Solomon’s servants: the descendants[bs] of Sotai, the descendants[bt] of Sophereth, the descendants[bu] of Perida, 58 the descendants[bv] of Jaala, the descendants[bw] of Darkon, the descendants[bx] of Giddel, 59 the descendants[by] of Shephatiah, the descendants[bz] of Hattil, the descendants[ca] of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants[cb] of Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the descendants[cc] 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[cd] of Delaiah, the descendants[ce] of Tobiah, the descendants[cf] of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. 63 And from the priests: the descendants[cg] of Hobaiah, the descendants[ch] of Hakkoz, the descendants[ci] 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,[cj] 69 [ck] 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[cl] 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[cm] 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[cn] were in their cities.
Ezra Reads the Law to the People
8 All of the people gathered as one to the public square before the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law[co] of Moses that Yahweh had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the law[cp] before the assembly for each man and woman to hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the public square before the Water Gate from dawn until noon that day, opposite the men, women, and those with understanding. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.[cq] 4 Then Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium that had been made for the occasion. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right. On his left was Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, because he was above all of the people. When he opened it all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God, and all of the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” while lifting their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped Yahweh with their noses to the ground. 7 And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law[cr] while the people were in their places. 8 So they read the book from the law[cs] of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that they could understand the reading.
9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn nor weep.” For all of the people wept when they heard the words of the law.[ct] 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat festive food and drink sweet drinks, and send a share to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our lord. Do not be grieved because the joy of Yahweh is your refuge.” 11 So the Levites silenced all of the people, saying, “Silence, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.” 12 All of the people went to eat, to drink, to send a share, and to have great joy because they understood the words that they had made known to them.
Festival of Booths
13 On the second day the heads of the families[cu] of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered together to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.[cv] 14 They found written in the law,[cw] which Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the Israelites[cx] should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim and give voice in all of their cities in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill and bring olive tree branches, olive oil wood branches, myrtle shrub branches, palm tree branches, and other leafy tree branches to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the public square of the Water Gate, and in the public square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all of the assembly of those who returned from captivity made booths and lived in the booths because the Israelites[cy] had not done it from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great joy. 18 And he read from the scroll of the law[cz] of God day by day from the first day up to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly according to the rule.
The Nation Confesses
9 On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites[da] gathered in fasting, in sackcloths, and with soil on them. 2 Those of the seed of Israel separated themselves from all of the foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.[db] 3 They stood up in their place and read from the book of the law[dc] of Yahweh their God for a fourth part of the day, and for a fourth they were confessing and worshiping Yahweh their God. 4 Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani stood on the platform of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to Yahweh their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, “Stand up, bless Yahweh your God from everlasting until everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name that is being exalted above all blessing and praise!
6 “You alone are Yahweh. You alone have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all of their army, the earth and all that is in it, the waters and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the army of the heavens worship you. 7 You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. 8 You found his heart faithful before you and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—to give it to his seed. And you have kept your word because you are righteous.
9 “You saw the misery of our ancestors[dd] in Egypt, and you heard their shout at the Red Sea. 10 You gave signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all of his servants, and all of the people of his land because you knew that they acted arrogantly against them. You made a name for yourself, as it is this day. 11 And you divided the sea before them, and they passed through the sea on dry ground, but their pursuers you threw into the depths like a stone into mighty waters. 12 You led them by day with a column of cloud and with a column of fire by night, to give them light on the way that they were to go. 13 Then you came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right judgments and true teachings, good regulations and commandments. 14 You made known your holy Sabbath to them and gave them commandments, regulations, and law[de] by the hand of your servant Moses. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their starvation, and you caused water to go out from a rock for their thirst. You told them to go in order to take into possession the land that you have sworn by your hand to give to them.
16 “But they and our ancestors[df] acted arrogantly and stiffened their neck and did not listen to your commandments. 17 They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders that you did among them. They stiffened their neck and in their rebellion determined[dg] to return to their slavery. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger,[dh] abundant in loyal love, so you did not abandon them. 18 Even when they made for themselves a molten idol of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you out from Egypt,’ and committed great blasphemies. 19 But you in your many mercies did not abandon them in the desert. The column of cloud that was over them in the day did not cease to leave them on the way, and the column of fire by night that gave light to them on the way that they went. 20 And you gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years you sustained them in the desert—they were not in need. Their clothing did not wear out and their feet did not swell. 22 And you gave them kingdoms and nations and allotted them a portion. They took into possession the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You made their children[di] numerous like the stars of the heavens and brought them to the land that you told their ancestors[dj] to enter in order to take possession. 24 So the children[dk] went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites; you gave them into their hand, and their kings and the nations of the land to do with them according to their pleasure. 25 And they captured fortified cities and a fertile land and took possession of houses filled with every good thing: hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, and many fruit trees. They ate and became full, and they became fat and took delight in your great goodness.
26 “But they rebelled and were rebellious against you and cast your law[dl] behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them to turn back to you, and they did great blasphemies. 27 Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemy, and they brought trouble to them. Then in the time of their trouble they cried out to you, and you heard from the heavens, and according to your great compassions, you gave them saviors, and you saved them from the hand of their enemies. 28 But when they had rest they returned to doing evil before you, and you abandoned them in the hand of their enemies, and they ruled over them. Then they returned and cried out to you, and from the heavens you heard and many times rescued them according to your compassions. 29 You warned them so that they would return to your law.[dm] Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to your commandments but sinned against your judgments that a person must do so that they may live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not listen. 30 You were patient toward them for many years, and you have warned them by your spirit through the hand of your prophets, but they did not listen. So you gave them into the hand of the nations of the lands. 31 But in your great compassions you did not put an end to them, and you did not abandon them. For you are a gracious and compassionate God.
32 “And now our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps his covenant and loyal love, do not belittle in your presence all of the hardship that is found in us, our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors,[dn] and all of our people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 You are righteous in everything that has come on us, for you dealt faithfully, and we have acted wickedly. 34 Our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors[do] did not keep your law[dp] and did not listen to your commandments and statutes that you declared to them. 35 And in their kingdom and in the greatness you gave to them, and in the wide and fertile land that you gave before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their evil deeds. 36 Behold, we are slaves to this day, and the land that you have given to our ancestors[dq] to eat its fruits and enjoy its goodness—behold, we are slaves in it! 37 Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have given over us because of our sins, and they are ruling over our dead bodies and our livestock at their pleasure. We are in great trouble.
38 [dr] “Now because of all of this we make a binding written agreement and are writing on the sealed documents the names of our commanders, our Levites, and our priests.”
A Lame Beggar Healed at the Temple
3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man was being carried who was lame from birth.[a] He[b] was placed every day at the gate of the temple called “Beautiful,” so that he could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple courts.[c] 3 When he[d] saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts,[e] he began asking to receive alms. 4 And Peter looked intently at him, together with John, and[f] said, “Look at us!” 5 So he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not possess,[g] but what I have, this I give to you—in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!”[h] 7 And taking hold of him by the right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began walking around[i] and entered into the temple courts[j] with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 And they recognized him, that this one[k] was the one who used to sit asking for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.
Peter’s Sermon in Solomon’s Portico
11 And while[l] he was holding fast to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s, utterly astonished. 12 And when he[m] saw it,[n] Peter replied to the people, “Men and Israelites, why are you astonished at this? Or why are you staring at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham and of Isaac[o] and of Jacob,[p] the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, after[q] he had decided to release him.[r] 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and demanded that a man—a murderer—be granted to you. 15 And you killed the originator of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses! 16 And on the basis of faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know, and the faith that is through him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ[s] would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way. 19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ[t] appointed for you—Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things, about which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God[u] will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.[v] 23 And it will be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed utterly from the people.’[w] 24 And indeed, all the prophets from Samuel and all those who followed him[x] have spoken about and proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.’[y] 26 God, after he[z] had raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning each of you back from your wickedness!”
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