7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,^(A) the musicians^(B) and the Levites^(C) were appointed. ² I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,^(D) along with Hananiah^(E) the commander of the citadel,^(F) because he was a man of integrity and feared^(G) God more than most people do. ³ I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

The List of the Exiles Who Returned^(H)

⁴ Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,^(I) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. ⁵ So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

The list of the men of Israel:

³⁹ The priests:

⁴³ The Levites:

⁴⁴ The musicians:^(T)

⁴⁵ The gatekeepers:^(U)

⁴⁶ The temple servants:^(V)

⁶³ And from among the priests:

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,^(AC) 8 ¹ all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.^(AD) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,^(AE) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

² So on the first day of the seventh month^(AF) Ezra the priest brought the Law^(AG) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³ He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^(AH) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁴ Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform^(AI) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁵ Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing^(AJ) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶ Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands^(AK) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ The Levites^(AL)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^(AM) the people in the Law while the people were standing there. ⁸ They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^[f] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites^(AN) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”^(AO) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing^(AP) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy^(AQ) of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹ The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

¹² Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,^(AR) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

¹³ On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. ¹⁴ They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters^(AS) during the festival of the seventh month ¹⁵ and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.^[g]

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate^(AT) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.^{(AU) 17} The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.^(AV) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated^(AW) it like this. And their joy was very great.

¹⁸ Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read^(AX) from the Book of the Law^(AY) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,^(AZ) there was an assembly.^(BA)

The Israelites Confess Their Sins

9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.^{(BB) 2} Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.^(BC) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.^{(BD) 3} They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. ⁴ Standing on the stairs of the Levites^(BE) were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. ⁵ And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God,^(BF) who is from everlasting to everlasting.^[h]”

The Agreement of the People

³⁸ “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement,^(FB) putting it in writing,^(FC) and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”^[k]

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

3 One day Peter and John^(A) were going up to the temple^(B) at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.^{(C) 2} Now a man who was lame from birth^(D) was being carried to the temple gate^(E) called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg^(F) from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,^(G) walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,^(H) and praising God. ⁹ When all the people^(I) saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful,^(J) and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John,^(K) all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(L) 12} When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,^(M) the God of our fathers,^(N) has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over^(O) to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,^(P) though he had decided to let him go.^{(Q) 14} You disowned the Holy^(R) and Righteous One^(S) and asked that a murderer be released to you.^{(T) 15} You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.^(U) We are witnesses^(V) of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus,^(W) this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites,^(X) I know that you acted in ignorance,^(Y) as did your leaders.^{(Z) 18} But this is how God fulfilled^(AA) what he had foretold^(AB) through all the prophets,^(AC) saying that his Messiah would suffer.^{(AD) 19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,^(AE) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah,^(AF) who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him^(AG) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(AH) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^{(AI) 22} For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.^{(AJ) 23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’^[a](AK)

²⁴ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets^(AL) who have spoken have foretold these days. ²⁵ And you are heirs^(AM) of the prophets and of the covenant^(AN) God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’^{[b](AO) 26} When God raised up^(AP) his servant, he sent him first^(AQ) to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”