Nehemiah 10; Nehemiah 11; Acts 4:1-22

1 Here are the names of those who stamped the agreement with their seals. The governor Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah Zedekiah,

2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,

4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah They were the priests.

9 Here are the names of the Levites. Jeshua, the son of Azaniah Binnui, one of the sons of Henadad Kadmiel

10 Here are the names of those who helped them. Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu

14 Here are the names of the leaders of the people. Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah

28 The rest of the people gathered together. They included the priests, the Levites and the men who guarded the gates. They included the singers and temple servants. They also included all those who separated themselves from the surrounding nations to obey the Law of God. All of those men brought their wives with them. And they brought all of their sons and daughters who were old enough to understand what was being agreed to.

29 All of the men joined the nobles of their people. They made a firm agreement. They put themselves under a curse and took an oath. They promised to follow the Law of God. It had been given through Moses, the servant of God. They promised to obey carefully all of the commands, rules and laws of the LORD our Lord.

30 The priests, Levites and people said, "We promise not to give our daughters to be married to men from the nations that are around us. And we promise not to let their daughters get married to our sons.

31 "The people around us will bring goods and grain to sell on the Sabbath day. But we won't buy anything from them on the Sabbath. In fact, we won't buy anything from them on any holy day. Every seventh year we won't farm the land. And we'll forgive people what they owe us.

32 "We will be accountable for carrying out the commands for serving in the house of our God. Each of us will give an eighth of an ounce of silver every year.

33 It will pay for the holy bread that is placed on the table in the temple. It will pay for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings. It will pay for the offerings on the Sabbath days. It will pay for the offerings at the New Moon Feasts and appointed feasts. It will pay for the holy offerings. It will be used for sin offerings to pay for the sin of Israel. It will also pay for everything else that needs to be done at the house of our God.

34 "We are the priests, Levites and people. We have cast lots to decide when each of our families should bring a gift of wood to the house of our God. They will bring it at certain appointed times every year. The wood will be burned on the altar of the LORD our God. That's what the Law requires.

35 "We will also be accountable for bringing the first share of our crops each year. And we'll bring the first share of every fruit tree. We'll bring them to the LORD's house.

36 "Each of us will bring our oldest son to the priests who serve there. We'll also bring the male animals that were born first to their mothers among our cattle, herds and flocks. We'll bring them to the house of our God. That's what the Law requires.

37 "We will also bring the first part of the meal we grind. We'll bring the first of our grain offerings. We'll bring the first share of fruit from all of our trees. And we'll bring the first share of our olive oil and fresh wine. We'll give all of those things to the priests. They'll put them in the storerooms of the house of our God. "And we'll give a tenth of our crops to the Levites. They collect the tenth shares. They do it in all of the towns where we work.

38 A priest from Aaron's family line must go with the Levites when they receive the tenth shares. And the Levites must bring a tenth of those shares up to the house of our God. They must put it in the rooms where the treasures are stored.

39 "The people of Israel, including the Levites, must bring their gifts. They must bring grain, olive oil and fresh wine. They must put them in the storerooms where the articles for the temple are kept. That's where the priests stay when they are serving at the temple. The singers and the men who guard the gates also stay there. "We won't forget to take care of the house of our God."

1 The leaders of the people settled down in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots. They did it to choose one person out of every ten. That person was brought to live in the holy city of Jerusalem. The other nine had to stay in their own towns.

2 The people praised all those who agreed to live in Jerusalem.

3 Here are the leaders from different parts of the country who settled down in Jerusalem. Some Israelites, priests and Levites lived in the towns of Judah. So did some temple servants and some members of the family lines of Solomon's servants. All of them lived on their own property in the towns of Judah.

4 At the same time, other people from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. Here are the leaders from the family line of Judah. There was Athaiah. He was the son of Uzziah. Uzziah was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Shephatiah. Shephatiah was the son of Mahalalel. Mahalalel belonged to the family line of Perez.

5 There was also Maaseiah. He was the son of Baruch. Baruch was the son of Col-Hozeh. Col-Hozeh was the son of Hazaiah. Hazaiah was the son of Adaiah. Adaiah was the son of Joiarib. Joiarib was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah belonged to the family line of Shelah.

6 Many able men who belonged to the family line of Perez lived in Jerusalem. The total number of them was 468.

7 Here are the leaders from the family line of Benjamin. There was Sallu. He was the son of Meshullam. Meshullam was the son of Joed. Joed was the son of Pedaiah. Pedaiah was the son of Kolaiah. Kolaiah was the son of Maaseiah. Maaseiah was the son of Ithiel. Ithiel was the son of Jeshaiah.

8 There were also Gabbai and Sallai. They were Sallu's followers. The total number of men was 928.

9 Joel was their chief officer. He was the son of Zicri. A man named Judah was in charge of the New Quarter of Jerusalem. He was the son of Hassenuah.

10 Here are the leaders from among the priests. There were Jedaiah, Jakin and the son of Joiarib.

11 There was also Seraiah. He was the son of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the son of Meshullam. Meshullam was the son of Zadok. Zadok was the son of Meraioth. Meraioth was the son of Ahitub. Ahitub was a ruler in God's house.

12 There were also those who helped them. They carried out the work for the temple. The total number of men was 822. There was also Adaiah. He was the son of Jeroham. Jeroham was the son of Pelaliah. Pelaliah was the son of Amzi. Amzi was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Pashhur. Pashhur was the son of Malkijah.

13 There were also those who helped Adaiah. They were family leaders. The total number of men was 242. There was also Amashsai. He was the son of Azarel. Azarel was the son of Ahzai. Ahzai was the son of Meshillemoth. Meshillemoth was the son of Immer.

14 There were also those who helped Amashsai. They were able men. The total number of them was 128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel. He was the son of Haggedolim.

15 Here are the leaders from among the Levites. There was Shemaiah. He was the son of Hasshub. Hasshub was the son of Azrikam. Azrikam was the son of Hashabiah. Hashabiah was the son of Bunni.

16 There were also Shabbethai and Jozabad. They were two of the leaders of the Levites. They were in charge of the work that was done outside God's house.

17 There was also Mattaniah. He led in prayer and in giving thanks. He was the son of Mica. Mica was the son of Zabdi. Zabdi was the son of Asaph. There was also Bakbukiah. He was second among those who helped Mattaniah. And there was Abda. He was the son of Shammua. Shammua was the son of Galal. Galal was the son of Jeduthun.

18 The total number of Levites in the holy city was 284.

19 Here are the leaders from among the men who guarded the gates. There were Akkub, Talmon and those who helped them. They stood guard at the gates. The total number of men was 172.

20 The rest of the Israelites were in all of the towns of Judah. The priests and Levites were with them. All of them lived on their own family property.

21 The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.

22 Uzzi was the chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem. He was the son of Bani. Bani was the son of Hashabiah. Hashabiah was the son of Mattaniah. Mattaniah was the son of Mica. Uzzi was one of the members of Asaph's family line. They were singers. They were in charge of the worship services at God's house.

23 The singers received their orders from the Persian king. He told them what they should do every day.

24 Pethahiah worked for the king in all matters that were connected with the people. He was the son of Meshezabel. Meshezabel belonged to the family line of Zerah. Zerah was the son of Judah.

25 Many of the people of Judah lived in villages that had fields around them. Some of them lived in Kiriath Arba and the settlements that were around it. Others lived in Dibon and its settlements. Others lived in Jekabzeel and its villages.

26 Others lived in Jeshua, Moladah and Beth Pelet.

27 Others lived in Hazar Shual and in Beersheba and its settlements.

28 Others lived in Ziklag and in Meconah and its settlements.

29 Others lived in En Rimmon and Zorah. Others lived in Jarmuth,

30 Zanoah and Adullam and their villages. Others lived in Lachish and its fields. Still others lived in Azekah and its settlements. So the people of Judah were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

31 Some of the members of the family line of Benjamin who were from Geba lived in Micmash. Others lived in Aija and in Bethel and its settlements.

32 Others lived in Anathoth, Nob and Ananiah.

33 Others lived in Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim.

34 Others lived in Hadid, Zeboim and Neballat.

35 Others lived in Lod and Ono. Still others lived in the Valley of Skilled Workers.

36 Some of the groups of the Levites from Judah settled in the territory of Benjamin.

1 Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles.

2 They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that because Jesus rose from the dead, people can be raised from the dead.

3 So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day.

4 But many who heard the message believed. The number of men who believed grew to about 5,000.

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.

6 Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others in the high priest's family.

7 They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. "By what power did you do this?" they asked. "And through whose name?"

8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people!

9 Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a disabled man? Are you asking how he was healed?

10 Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus' name that this man stands healed in front of you.

11 Scripture says that Jesus is " 'the stone you builders did not accept. But it has become the most important stone of all.' (Psalm 118:22)

12 You can't be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given us no other name under heaven that will save us."

13 The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.

14 The leaders could see the man who had been healed standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say.

15 They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over.

16 "What can we do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle. We can't say it didn't happen.

17 We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus' name again."

18 Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus' name.

19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves. Which is right from God's point of view? Should we obey you? Or God?

20 There's nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we've seen and heard."

21 The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn't decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened.

22 The man who had been healed by the miracle was over 40 years old.