Nehemiah 7; Nehemiah 8; Nehemiah 9; Acts 3

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Nehemiah 7

1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God 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."

4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.

5 Then my God put it into my mind 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:

6 These are the people of the province who went up from among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to his own town in Jerusalem and Judah.

7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the Israelite men [included]:

8 Parosh's descendants 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 667

19 Bigvai's descendants 2,067

20 Adin's descendants 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 descendants 95

26 Bethlehem's and Netophah's men 188

27 Anathoth's 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 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 345

37 Lod's, Hadid's, and Ono's people 721

38 Senaah's people 3,930

39 The priests [included]: Jedaiah's 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 [included]: Jeshua's descendants: of Kadmiel Hodevah's descendants 74

44 The singers [included]: Asaph's descendants 148

45 The gatekeepers [included]: Shallum's descendants, Ater's descendants, Talmon's descendants, Akkub's descendants, Hatita's descendants, Shobai's descendants 138

46 The temple servants [included]: Ziha's descendants, Hasupha's descendants, Tabbaoth's descendants,

47 Keros's descendants, Sia's descendants, Padon's descendants,

48 Lebana's descendants, Hagaba'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 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 [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 392

61 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their families and ancestry 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 was called by 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 ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.

66 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360

67 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, as well as their 245 male and female singers.

68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the family leaders gave to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury.

71 Some of the family leaders gave 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project.

72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.

73 So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.

Nehemiah 8

1 all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel.

2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding.

3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up.

6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places.

8 They read the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.

9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said to them, "Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because your strength [comes from] rejoicing in the Lord."

11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve."

12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, because they had understood the words that were explained to them.

13 On the second day, the family leaders of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, assembled before Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.

14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month.

15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and [other] leafy trees to make booths, just as it is written."

16 The people went out, brought back [branches], and made booths for themselves on each of their rooftops, and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate, and the square by the Gate of Ephraim.

17 The whole community that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy.

18 Ezra read out of the book of the law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance.

Nehemiah 9

1 On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting, [wearing] sackcloth, [and had put] dust on their heads.

2 Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the guilt of their fathers.

3 While they stood in their places, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day and [spent] another fourth of the day in confession and worship of the Lord their God.

4 Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the raised platform [built] for the Levites and cried out loudly to the Lord their God.

5 Then the Levites-Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah-said: Stand up. Bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Praise Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 You alone are the Lord. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the heavenly host worships You.

7 You are the Lord God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and changed his name to Abraham.

8 You found his heart faithful in Your sight, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites- to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, for You are righteous.

9 You saw the oppression of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea.

10 You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew how arrogantly they treated our ancestors. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.

11 You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into churning waters.

12 You led them with a pillar of cloud by day, and with a pillar of fire by night, to illuminate the way they should go.

13 You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them impartial ordinances, reliable instructions, and good decrees and commandments.

14 You revealed Your holy Sabbath to them, and gave them commandments, statutes, and a law through Your servant Moses.

15 You provided bread from heaven for their hunger; You brought them water from the rock for their thirst. You told them to go in and possess the land You had sworn to give them.

16 But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your commands.

17 They refused to listen and did not remember Your wonders You performed among them. They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in faithful love, and You did not abandon them.

18 Even after they had cast an image of a calf for themselves and said, "This is your God who brought you out of Egypt," and they had committed terrible blasphemies,

19 You did not abandon them in the wilderness because of Your great compassion. During the day the pillar of cloud never turned away from them, guiding them on their journey. And during the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.

20 You sent Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

21 You provided for them in the wilderness 40 years and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.

22 You gave them kingdoms and peoples and assigned them to be a boundary. They took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of the land of Og king of Bashan.

23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You told their ancestors to go in and take possession [of it].

24 So their descendants went in and possessed the land: You subdued the Canaanites who inhabited the land before them and handed their kings and the surrounding peoples over to them, to do as they pleased with them.

25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took possession of well-supplied houses, rock-hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate, were filled, became prosperous, and delighted in Your great goodness.

26 But they were disobedient and rebelled against You. They flung Your law behind their backs and killed Your prophets who warned them to turn them back to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

27 So You handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. In their time of distress, they cried out to You, and You heard from heaven. In Your abundant compassion You gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the power of their enemies.

28 But as soon as they had relief, they again did what was evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the power of their enemies, who dominated them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven and rescued them many times in Your compassion.

29 You warned them to turn back to Your law, but they acted arrogantly and would not obey Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a person will live if he does them. They stubbornly resisted, stiffened their necks, and would not obey.

30 You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, but they would not listen. Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples.

31 However, in Your abundant compassion, You did not destroy them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 So now, our God-the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant- do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us, our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the Assyrian kings until today.

33 You are righteous concerning all that has come on us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

34 Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings You gave them.

35 When they were in their kingdom, with Your abundant goodness You gave them, and in the spacious and fertile land You set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

36 Here we are today, slaves in the land You gave our ancestors so that they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness. Here we are-slaves in it!

37 Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us, because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

38 In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document [containing the names of] our leaders, Levites, and priests.

Acts 3

1 Now Peter and John were going up together to the temple complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon.

2 And a man who was lame from his mother's womb was carried there and placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg from those entering the temple complex.

3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple complex, he asked for help.

4 Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, "Look at us."

5 So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them.

6 But Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have, I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!"

7 Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.

8 So he jumped up, stood, and started to walk, and he entered the temple complex with them-walking, leaping, and praising God.

9 All the people saw him walking and praising God,

10 and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

11 While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, greatly amazed, ran toward them in what is called Solomon's Colonnade.

12 When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked to have a murderer given to you.

15 And you killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this.

16 By faith in His name, His name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Him has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.

17 "And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, just as your leaders also did.

18 But what God predicted through the mouth of all the prophets-that His Messiah would suffer-He has fulfilled in this way.

19 Therefore repent and turn back, that your sins may be wiped out so that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

20 and He may send Jesus, who has been appointed Messiah for you.

21 Heaven must welcome Him until the times of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about by the mouth of His holy prophets from the beginning.

22 Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He will say to you.

23 And it will be that everyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from the people.

24 "In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also announced these days.

25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your forefathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed.

26 God raised up His Servant and sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways."