Nehemiah 5 Cross References - NHEB

¹ Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews. ² For there were that said, "We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live." ³ Some also there were that said, "We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine." ⁴ There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral. ⁵ Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Look, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. Neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards." ⁶ I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. ⁷ Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, "You exact usury, everyone of his brother." I held a great assembly against them. ⁸ I said to them, "We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?" Then they held their peace, and found never a word. ⁹ Also I said, "The thing that you do is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ¹⁰ I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury. ¹¹ Please restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them." ¹² Then they said, "We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as you say." Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise. ¹³ Also I shook out my lap, and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn't perform this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied." All the assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. The people did according to this promise. ¹⁴ Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor. ¹⁵ But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. ¹⁶ Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered there to the work. ¹⁷ Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were around us. ¹⁸ Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I did not demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this people. ¹⁹ Remember to me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.

⁷ The LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

²⁵ "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest. ²⁶ If you take your neighbor's garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down, ²⁷ for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.

³⁵ "'If your brother has become poor, and his hand can't support him among you; then you shall uphold him. As a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. ³⁶ Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God; that your brother may live among you. ³⁷ You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

⁷ If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; ⁸ but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks. ⁹ Be careful lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand"; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to the LORD against you, and it be sin to you. ¹⁰ You must surely give to him, and your heart is not to be grieved when you give to him; because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. ¹¹ For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.

³⁸ If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together; ³⁹ if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

²⁸ so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.

⁷ For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, look, oppression; for righteousness, but, look, a cry of distress.

⁷ Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?

²⁶ "The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?'

⁶ But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers. ⁷ Actually, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ No, but you yourselves do wrong, and cheat, and that against your brothers.

⁴ Look, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of those who reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.

⁵⁷ And all the countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

² He said, "Look, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there, so that we may live and not die."

⁸ Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me and weʼll get up and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones.

³ Look, children are a heritage of the LORD. The fruit of the womb is a reward. ⁴ As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth. ⁵ Blessed is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won't be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

² For you will eat the labor of your hands; you will be blessed, and it will be well with you. ³ Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of your house; your children like olive plants, around your table. ⁴ Look, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

² If you will not listen, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name," says the LORD of hosts, "then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.

¹⁵ And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone." ¹⁶ Then Joseph said, "Give me your livestock and I will give you food for your livestock, if your silver is gone." ¹⁷ So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle, and for the donkeys. And he fed them with food in exchange for all their livestock for that year. ¹⁸ When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord that all our silver is spent and that the herds of livestock belong to my lord. There is nothing left, as my lord can see, except our bodies and our lands. ¹⁹ Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land wonʼt become desolate." ²⁰ So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field, since the famine was severe on them. So the land became Pharaohʼs. ²¹ And as for the people, he subjugated them as slaves from one end of the border of Egypt to the other end of it. ²² Only he did not buy the land of the priests, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off their allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not have to sell their land. ²³ Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you so you can plant the seed in the land. ²⁴ And it will come to pass at the harvests that you must give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours for seed for the field, and for your food, and for those of your households, and as food for your little ones." ²⁵ Then they said, "You have saved our lives. Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaohʼs slaves."

³⁵ "'If your brother has become poor, and his hand can't support him among you; then you shall uphold him. As a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. ³⁶ Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God; that your brother may live among you. ³⁷ You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. ³⁸ I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. ³⁹ "'If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave.

⁷ If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;

⁸ Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for. ¹¹ I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field," says the LORD of hosts.

⁴⁷ Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; ⁴⁸ therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he has destroyed you.

¹⁰ They did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.

²¹ their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them Solomon conscripted for slave labor to this day.

¹³ Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

²⁰ There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.

²⁴ Also we inform you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on them.

³⁷ It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

¹⁴ Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." He lived with him for a month.

²⁷ Come, and letʼs sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our flesh." And his brothers agreed.

¹ "Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. ² "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything. ³ If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. ⁵ But if the servant shall plainly say, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;' ⁶ then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever. ⁷ "If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do. ⁸ If she doesn't please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, seeing he has dealt deceitfully with her. ⁹ If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. ¹⁰ If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights. ¹¹ If he doesn't do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.

³⁹ "'If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave. ⁴⁰ As a hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee: ⁴¹ then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. ⁴² For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. ⁴³ You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.

¹ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared the LORD. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves."

⁷ Isn't it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?

²⁵ But because he could not pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor person. Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?

⁸ All these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, "Get out, with all the people who follow you;" and after that I will go out.'" He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

¹⁵ Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, "Do not respect their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them."

⁸ It grieved me severely: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room.

²⁵ I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

⁵ And when he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

²⁶ "Be angry, but do not sin." Do not let the sun go down on your anger,

²⁵ "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest.

¹⁵ "'You shall do no injustice in judgment: you shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.

³⁶ Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God; that your brother may live among you.

² This is the way of the release: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because the LORD's release has been proclaimed. ³ Of a foreigner you may exact it: but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release.

¹⁹ You shall not lend on interest to your brother; interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest: ²⁰ to a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.

¹⁰ When you do lend your neighbor any kind of loan, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. ¹¹ You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you do lend shall bring forth the pledge outside to you. ¹² If he be a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge; ¹³ you shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment, and bless you: and it shall be righteousness to you before the LORD your God.

⁶ and said to the judges, "Consider what you do: for you do not judge for man, but for the LORD; and he is with you in the judgment. ⁷ Now therefore let the fear of the LORD be on you. Take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes."

⁹ But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "Look, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. ¹⁰ Now you purpose to keep under the people of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against the LORD your God? ¹¹ Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of the LORD is on you." ¹² Then some of the heads of the people of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war, ¹³ and said to them, "You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against the LORD, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."

⁴ Be angry, but do not sin. Ponder in your heart, but be at rest on your bed. Selah.

¹ [A Psalm by David.] LORD, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy mountain?

⁵ He doesn't lend out his money for interest, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.

⁸ My heart said to you, "I have sought your face." Your face, LORD, I will seek.

¹ [A Psalm by Asaph.] God presides in the assembly of God. He judges among the gods. ² "How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?" Selah. ³ "Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. ⁴ Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked."

⁵ Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

¹² In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,' says the Lord GOD.

⁹ "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness; dispossessing my people, says the Lord GOD.

¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you as an unbeliever or a tax collector.

¹⁶ Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we no longer know him in this way.

¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.

²⁰ Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

¹⁵ Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you.

¹⁶ "Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his possession, he shall surely be put to death.

⁴⁷ "'If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him has grown poor, and sells himself to the stranger or foreigner living among you, or to a member of the stranger's family; ⁴⁸ after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; ⁴⁹ or his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any who is a close relative to him of his family may redeem him; or if he has grown rich, he may redeem himself.

⁷ If a man be found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deal with him as a slave, or sell him; then that thief shall die: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.

¹⁰ The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

¹⁵ "They are amazed. They answer no more. They do not have a word to say.

¹² and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless.

¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

²⁹ For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who does not have, even that which he has will be taken away.

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

¹⁵ Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

¹¹ And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whom the Christ died. ¹² For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have.

¹⁰ So then, as we have opportunity, let us do what is good toward all people, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

⁷ There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived in the land at that time. ⁸ Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.

¹¹ Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place, so they will kill me because of my wife.'

¹⁸ Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do what I say, and live, for I fear God.

²⁴ No, my sons, do not do this. For it is not a good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading.

¹⁴ However, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."

⁴ "Hear, our God; for we are despised; and turn back their insults on their own head, give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity;

¹⁵ But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

²⁹ A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.

²⁶ Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.

⁵ To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

² It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge; nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way.

²³ These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁰ When they came to the nations, where they went, they profaned my holy name; in that men said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.'

³¹ So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

²⁴ For because of you the name of God is blasphemed among the nations, just as it is written.

¹⁴ I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

⁵ to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God's word may not be blasphemed.

¹² having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

⁷ Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, "You exact usury, everyone of his brother." I held a great assembly against them.

⁸ he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,

¹³ has given forth on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be on him.

¹ Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds. When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

¹³ He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you." ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, saying, "What about us? What must we do?" He said to them, "Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages."

¹² If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? ¹⁴ Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things, and I do not write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. ¹⁶ For if I proclaim the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I do not proclaim the Good News. ¹⁷ For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? That, when I proclaim the Good News, I may present the Good News without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

¹¹ Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade people, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.

²⁰ We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

¹ Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain,

⁸ Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, ⁹ yet on the basis of love I rather appeal, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.

⁴ then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, ⁵ or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall restore it even in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. To him to whom it belongs he shall give it, in the day of his being found guilty.

³ Here I am. Testify against me before the LORD, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, or a shoe? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you."

⁶ He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

³ Some also there were that said, "We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine." ⁴ There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.

⁶ "Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

² The king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the scroll of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. ³ The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this scroll; and all the people stood to the covenant.

²² "If a man sins against his neighbor and obliges him to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before your altar in this house; ²³ then hear from heaven, and do, and judge your servants, bringing retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

¹³ and that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. ¹⁴ They swore to the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

¹⁴ So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the leaders and all the assembly. ¹⁵ The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

⁵ Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.

¹² Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "As you have said concerning us, so must we do.

²⁹ they joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;

³¹ and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy of them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

⁸ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them; ⁹ that every man should let his male servant, and every man his female servant, who is a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, go free; that none should keep a fellow Judean in bondage. ¹⁰ And all the officials and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant, and everyone his female servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:

²¹ Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." ²² But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

⁶³ But Jesus held his peace. The high priest answered him, "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

⁸ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much."

²² and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.' The woman shall say, 'Amen, Amen.'

¹⁴ The Levites shall answer, and tell all the men of Israel with a loud voice, ¹⁵ 'Cursed is the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' All the people shall answer and say, 'Amen.' ¹⁶ 'Cursed is he who sets light by his father or his mother.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ¹⁷ 'Cursed is he who removes his neighbor's landmark.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ¹⁸ 'Cursed is he who makes the blind to wander out of the way.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ¹⁹ 'Cursed is he who wrests the justice due the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁰ 'Cursed is he who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's skirt.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²¹ 'Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²² 'Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²³ 'Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁴ 'Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁵ 'Cursed is he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.' ²⁶ 'Cursed is he who doesn't confirm all the words of this law to do them.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.'"

²⁸ Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

²⁹ And it happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way and caused him to turn aside out of the way. Now he had dressed himself with a new garment, and the two were alone in the countryside. ³⁰ And Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces. ³¹ He said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Look, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you

³ The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this scroll; and all the people stood to the covenant.

³⁶ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And all the people said, "Amen," and praised the LORD.

⁶ and Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

¹⁴ Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.

¹¹ Make vows to the LORD your God, and fulfill them. Let all of his neighbors bring presents to him who is to be feared.

¹⁰⁶ I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey your righteous ordinances.

⁵ It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

³ Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side. ⁴ I will cause it to go out," says the LORD of hosts, "and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones."

¹⁴ And whoever does not receive you, nor hear your words, as you leave that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet.

⁵¹ But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

⁶ When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the non-Jewish people."

¹³ Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. ¹⁴ Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

¹ It happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artachshasta the king, when wine was before me, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence.

⁶ But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta king of Babylon I went to the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king,

⁶ For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God's service, attending continually on this very thing. ⁷ Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

⁴ Have we no right to eat and to drink? ⁵ Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶ Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work? ⁷ What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and does not drink from the flock's milk? ⁸ Do I say these things according to human authority? Or does not the Law also say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses, "Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares, ¹⁰ or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in the hope of having a share. ¹¹ If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things? ¹² If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? ¹⁴ Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News. ¹⁵ But I have used none of these things, and I do not write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.

¹⁸ What then is my reward? That, when I proclaim the Good News, I may present the Good News without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

⁸ neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you; ⁹ not because we do not have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.

¹⁵ Yes, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, "Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw." ¹⁶ If the man said to him, "Let the fat be burned first, and then take all of it which your soul desires"; then he would say, "No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force." ¹⁷ The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for they despised the offering of the LORD.

¹⁵ He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

⁹ Also I said, "The thing that you do is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?

²³ For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.

¹ Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in his commandments.

¹¹ The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

⁶ By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

¹² If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked.

¹³ This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

¹⁰ Who is among you who fears the LORD, who listens to the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness, and has no light, let him trust in the name of the LORD, and rely on his God.

⁴⁷ And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the non-Jews do the same?

² saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect people. ³ A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' ⁴ He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect people,

⁹ When I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

¹³ For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the churches, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

¹⁵ That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience.

³³ I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing. ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. ³⁵ In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

⁷ to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality -- everlasting life.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

¹⁶ But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception. ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you? ¹⁸ I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Did not we walk in the same spirit? Did not we walk in the same steps?

⁹ Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we do not give up.

²⁰ For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you. ²¹ For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

⁵ For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed (God is witness), ⁶ nor seeking glory from people (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

⁷ And David said to him, "Do not be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather. You shall eat bread at my table continually."

¹³ So Mippibaal lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king's table. He was lame in both his feet.

¹⁹ Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

⁸ But the noble devises noble things; and he will continue in noble things.

¹³ contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.

⁹ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

²² Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal, ²³ ten head of fat cattle, and twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl.

¹⁴ Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor. ¹⁵ But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

²¹ The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous give generously.

²⁶ All day long he deals graciously and lends, and his offspring are a blessing.

¹⁴ But remember me when it goes well for you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.

¹⁴ Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

²² I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.

³¹ and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

²³ I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity. ²⁴ Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. ²⁵ With the faithful you show yourself faithful. With the innocent you show yourself innocent.

⁶ LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times. ⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness' sake, LORD.

¹⁷ But I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do not delay, my God.

⁴ Remember me, LORD, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation,

¹¹ For I know the plans that I have for you,' says the LORD, 'plans for your welfare, and not for calamity, to give you hope and a future.

⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, truly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward."

³⁴ Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵ for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. ³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.' ³⁷ "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? ³⁸ When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' ⁴⁰ "The King will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

⁴¹ For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to the Christ, truly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.