Nehemiah 9-10

New International Version

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.^(A) ²Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.^(B) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.^(C) ³They 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. ⁴Standing on the stairs of the Levites^(D) were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. ⁵And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God,^(E) who is from everlasting to everlasting.^[a]”

“Blessed be your glorious name,^(F) and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. ⁶You alone are the Lord.^(G) You made the heavens,^(H) even the highest heavens, and all their starry host,^(I) the earth^(J) and all that is on it, the seas^(K) and all that is in them.^(L) You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven^(M) worship you.

⁷“You are the Lord God, who chose Abram^(N) and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans^(O) and named him Abraham.^(P) ⁸You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites.^(Q) You have kept your promise^(R) because you are righteous.^(S)

⁹“You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt;^(T) you heard their cry at the Red Sea.^[b]^(U) ¹⁰You sent signs^(V) and wonders^(W) against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name^(X) for yourself,^(Y) which remains to this day. ¹¹You divided the sea before them,^(Z) so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths,^(AA) like a stone into mighty waters.^(AB) ¹²By day^(AC) you led^(AD) them with a pillar of cloud,^(AE) and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

¹³“You came down on Mount Sinai;^(AF) you spoke^(AG) to them from heaven.^(AH) You gave them regulations and laws that are just^(AI) and right, and decrees and commands that are good.^(AJ) ¹⁴You made known to them your holy Sabbath^(AK) and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. ¹⁵In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven^(AL) and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock;^(AM) you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand^(AN) to give them.^(AO)

¹⁶“But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked,^(AP) and they did not obey your commands.^(AQ) ¹⁷They refused to listen and failed to remember^(AR) the miracles^(AS) you performed among them. They became stiff-necked^(AT) and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery.^(AU) But you are a forgiving God,^(AV) gracious and compassionate,^(AW) slow to anger^(AX) and abounding in love.^(AY) Therefore you did not desert them,^(AZ) ¹⁸even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf^(BA) and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.^(BB)

¹⁹“Because of your great compassion you did not abandon^(BC) them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud^(BD) did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. ²⁰You gave your good Spirit^(BE) to instruct^(BF) them. You did not withhold your manna^(BG) from their mouths, and you gave them water^(BH) for their thirst. ²¹For forty years^(BI) you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing,^(BJ) their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.^(BK)

²²“You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon^[c]^(BL) king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.^(BM) ²³You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky,^(BN) and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess. ²⁴Their children went in and took possession of the land.^(BO) You subdued^(BP) before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. ²⁵They captured fortified cities and fertile land;^(BQ) they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things,^(BR) wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished;^(BS) they reveled in your great goodness.^(BT)

²⁶“But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law.^(BU) They killed^(BV) your prophets,^(BW) who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.^(BX) ²⁷So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies,^(BY) who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion^(BZ) you gave them deliverers,^(CA) who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

²⁸“But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.^(CB) Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion^(CC) you delivered them^(CD) time after time.

²⁹“You warned^(CE) them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant^(CF) and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’^(CG) Stubbornly they turned their backs^(CH) on you, became stiff-necked^(CI) and refused to listen.^(CJ) ³⁰For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets.^(CK) Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.^(CL) ³¹But in your great mercy you did not put an end^(CM) to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful^(CN) God.

³²“Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty^(CO) and awesome,^(CP) who keeps his covenant of love,^(CQ) do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship^(CR) that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. ³³In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous;^(CS) you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.^(CT) ³⁴Our kings,^(CU) our leaders, our priests and our ancestors^(CV) did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. ³⁵Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness^(CW) to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you^(CX) or turn from their evil ways.

³⁶“But see, we are slaves^(CY) today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. ³⁷Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.^(CZ)

The Agreement of the People

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

10 ^[e]Those who sealed it were:

Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah.

Zedekiah, ²Seraiah,^(DC) Azariah, Jeremiah,

³Pashhur,^(DD) Amariah, Malkijah,

⁴Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,

⁵Harim,^(DE) Meremoth, Obadiah,

⁶Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

⁷Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

⁸Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.

These were the priests.^(DF)

⁹The Levites:^(DG)

Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

¹⁰and their associates: Shebaniah,

Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

¹¹Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,

¹²Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

¹³Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.

¹⁴The leaders of the people:

Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

¹⁵Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

¹⁶Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,^(DH)

¹⁷Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

¹⁸Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

¹⁹Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

²⁰Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,^(DI)

²¹Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

²²Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

²³Hoshea, Hananiah,^(DJ) Hasshub,

²⁴Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

²⁵Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

²⁶Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

²⁷Malluk, Harim and Baanah.

²⁸“The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants^(DK) and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples^(DL) for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— ²⁹all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath^(DM) to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

³⁰“We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.^(DN)

³¹“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath,^(DO) we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land^(DP) and will cancel all debts.^(DQ)

³²“We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel^[f] each year for the service of the house of our God: ³³for the bread set out on the table;^(DR) for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon^(DS) feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings^[g] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.^(DT)

³⁴“We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots^(DU) to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood^(DV) to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

³⁵“We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits^(DW) of our crops and of every fruit tree.^(DX)

³⁶“As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn^(DY) of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.^(DZ)

³⁷“Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil.^(EA) And we will bring a tithe^(EB) of our crops to the Levites,^(EC) for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.^(ED) ³⁸A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes^(EE) up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. ³⁹The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.

“We will not neglect the house of our God.”^(EF)

Footnotes

Nehemiah 9:5 Or God for ever and ever
Nehemiah 9:9 Or the Sea of Reeds
Nehemiah 9:22 One Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts Sihon, that is, the country of the
Nehemiah 9:38 In Hebrew texts this verse (9:38) is numbered 10:1.
Nehemiah 10:1 In Hebrew texts 10:1-39 is numbered 10:2-40.
Nehemiah 10:32 That is, about 1/8 ounce or about 4 grams
Nehemiah 10:33 Or purification offerings

Acts 2

New International Version

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost^(A) came, they were all together^(B) in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.^(C) ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^(D) and began to speak in other tongues^[a]^(E) as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^(F) Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷Utterly amazed,^(G) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?^(H) ⁸Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,^(I) Pontus^(J) and Asia,^[b]^(K) ¹⁰Phrygia^(L) and Pamphylia,^(M) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^(N) visitors from Rome ¹¹(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹²Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”^(O)

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!^(P) ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷“‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.^(Q)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,^(R)
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.^(S)
¹⁹I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,^(T)
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
²⁰The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood^(U)
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
²¹And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord^(V) will be saved.’^[c]^(W)

²²“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^(X) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^(Y) which God did among you through him,^(Z) as you yourselves know. ²³This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^(AA) and you, with the help of wicked men,^[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^(AB) ²⁴But God raised him from the dead,^(AC) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^(AD) ²⁵David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
    Because he is at my right hand,
    I will not be shaken.
²⁶Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest in hope,
²⁷because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    you will not let your holy one see decay.^(AE)
²⁸You have made known to me the paths of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence.’^[e]^(AF)

²⁹“Fellow Israelites,^(AG) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(AH) David died and was buried,^(AI) and his tomb is here^(AJ) to this day. ³⁰But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^(AK) ³¹Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^(AL) ³²God has raised this Jesus to life,^(AM) and we are all witnesses^(AN) of it. ³³Exalted^(AO) to the right hand of God,^(AP) he has received from the Father^(AQ) the promised Holy Spirit^(AR) and has poured out^(AS) what you now see and hear. ³⁴For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
³⁵until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’^[f]^(AT)

³⁶“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(AU) and Messiah.”^(AV)

³⁷When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^(AW)

³⁸Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(AX) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(AY) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^(AZ) ³⁹The promise is for you and your children^(BA) and for all who are far off^(BB)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^(BC) ⁴¹Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(BD) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(BE) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(BF) and to prayer.^(BG) ⁴³Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^(BH) ⁴⁴All the believers were together and had everything in common.^(BI) ⁴⁵They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^(BJ) ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(BK) They broke bread^(BL) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(BM) And the Lord added to their number^(BN) daily those who were being saved.