NEHEMIAH 5:14-7:73a
1 CORINTHIANS 8:1-13
PSALM 33:1-11
PROVERBS 21:8-10
NEHEMIAH 5:14-7:73a
I [Nehemiah] would like to mention that for the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah--from the twentieth until the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes--neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. 15 This was quite a contrast to the former governors who had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides a pound of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because of my fear of God, I did not act that way. 16 I devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my officials to spend time working on the wall. 17 I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands! 18 The provisions required at my expense for each day were one ox, six fat sheep, and a large number of domestic fowl. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor's food allowance because the people were already having a difficult time. 19 Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.6:1 WHEN Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained--though we had not yet hung the doors in the gates--2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me, 3 so I replied by sending this message to them: " I am doing a great work! I cannot stop to come and meet with you." 4 Four times they sent the same message, and each time I gave the same reply. 5 The fifth time, Sanballat's servant came with an open letter in his hand, 6 and this is what it said: " Geshem tells me that every-where he goes he hears that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king. 7 He also reports that you have appointed prophets to prophesy about you in Jerusalem, saying, ` Look! There is a king in Judah!' " You can be very sure that this report will get back to the king, so I suggest that you come and talk it over with me."8 My reply was, " You know you are lying. There is no truth in any part of your story." 9 They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could break our resolve and stop the work. So I prayed for strength to continue the work. 10 Later I went to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home. He said, " Let us meet together inside the Temple of God and bolt the doors shut. Your enemies are coming to kill you tonight." 11 But I replied, " Should someone in my position run away from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won't do it!" 12 I realized that God had not spoken to him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin by following his suggestion. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me. 14 Remember, O my God, all the evil things that Tobiah and Sanballat have done. And remember Noadiah the prophet and all the prophets like her who have tried to intimidate me.15 So on October 2 the wall was finally finished--just fifty-two days after we had begun. 16 When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. 17 During those fifty-two days, many letters went back and forth between Tobiah and the officials of Judah. 18 For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him because his father-in-law was Shecaniah son of Arah and because his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 They kept telling me what a wonderful man Tobiah was, and then they told him everything I said. And Tobiah sent many threatening letters to intimidate me.7:1 AFTER the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3 I said to them, " Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And while the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at their regular posts and some in front of their own homes." 4 At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small. And only a few houses were scattered throughout the city. 5 So my God gave me the idea to call together all the leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:6 " Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity to Jerusalem and to the other towns of Judah. They had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 7 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of men of Israel who returned from exile: 8 The family of Parosh 2,172 9 The family of Shephatiah 372 10 The family of Arah 652 11 The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) 2,818 12 The family of Elam 1,254 13 The family of Zattu 845 14 The family of Zaccai 760 15 The family of Bani 648 16 The family of Bebai 628 17 The family of Azgad 2,322 18 The family of Adonikam 667 19 The family of Bigvai 2,067 20 The family of Adin 655 21 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) 98 22 The family of Hashum 328 23 The family of Bezai 324 24 The family of Jorah 112 25 The family of Gibbar 95 26 The peoples of Bethlehem and Netophah 188 27 The people of Anathoth 128 28 The people of Beth-azmaveth 42 29 The peoples of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743 30 The peoples of Ramah and Geba 621 31 The people of Micmash 122 32 The peoples of Bethel and Ai 123 33 The people of Nebo 52 34 The citizens of Elam 1,254 35 The citizens of Harim 320 36 The citizens of Jericho 345 37 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 721 38 The citizens of Senaah 3,93039 " These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) 973 40 The family of Immer 1,052 41 The family of Pashhur 1,247 42 The family of Harim 1,01743 " These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) 74 44 The singers of the family of Asaph 148 45 The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 138 46 " The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 47 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 48 Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai, 49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, 50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, 51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, 52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim, 53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 56 Neziah, and Hatipha. 57 " The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda, 58 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, 59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami. 60 " In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392. 61"Another group returned to Jerusalem at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel. 62 This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda--a total of 642 people.63 " Three families of priests--Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai--also returned to Jerusalem. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillia of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.) 64 But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests. 65 The governor would not even let them eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until there was a priest who could consult the LORD about the matter by means of sacred lots. 66 " So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, 67 in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women. 68 They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 70 " Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests. 71 The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests. 73 " So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants, along with some of the people--that is to say, all Israel--settled in their own towns."
1 CORINTHIANS 8:1-13
Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You [Corinthians] think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for. 4 So now, what about it? Should we eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God and no other. 5 According to some people, there are many so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on earth. 6 But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we exist for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life. 7 However, not all Christians realize this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It's true that we can't win God's approval by what we eat. We don't miss out on anything if we don't eat it, and we don't gain anything if we do. 9 But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.10 You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there's nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol. 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died, will be destroyed. 12 And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong. 13 If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live--for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.
PSALM 33:1-11
Let the godly sing with joy to the LORD,
for it is fitting to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre;
make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
3 Sing new songs of praise to him;
play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy.
4 For the word of the LORD holds true,
and everything he does is worthy of our trust.
5 He loves whatever is just and good,
and his unfailing love fills the earth.
6 The LORD merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
7 He gave the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let everyone in the world fear the LORD,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.
10 The LORD shatters the plans of the nations
and thwarts all their schemes.
11 But the LORD's plans stand firm forever;
his intentions can never be shaken.
PROVERBS 21:8-10
The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road. It is better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a contentious wife in a lovely home. Evil people love to harm others; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
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