Parallel Chapters Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed | 1Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. | 1Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. | 1Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. | 1And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. | 1There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. |
| 2Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain." | 2For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” | 2For there were those who said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live." | 2For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. | 2Some were saying, "We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live." |
| 3Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine." | 3There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” | 3There were others who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine." | 3Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. | 3Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine." |
| 4Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. | 4And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. | 4Also there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. | 4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. | 4Still others were saying, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. |
| 5Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others." | 5Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.” | 5"Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others." | 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. | 5We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others." |
| 6When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. | 6I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. | 6Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. | 6And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. | 6I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. |
| 7I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are charging your own people interest!" So I called together a large meeting to deal with them | 7I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them | 7I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, "You are exacting usury, each from his brother!" Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. | 7Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. | 7After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, "Each of you is charging his countrymen interest." So I called a large assembly against them |
| 8and said: "As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say. | 8and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. | 8I said to them, "We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?" Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. | 8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. | 8and said, "We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back." They remained silent and could not say a word. |
| 9So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? | 9So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? | 9Again I said, "The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? | 9Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? | 9Then I said, "What you are doing isn't right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies? |
| 10I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! | 10Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. | 10"And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. | 10I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. | 10Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. |
| 11Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them--one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil." | 11Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” | 11"Please, give back to them this very 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 exacting from them." | 11Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. | 11Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them." |
| 12"We will give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. | 12Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. | 12Then they said, "We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say." So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. | 12Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. | 12They responded: "We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say." So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this. |
| 13I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. | 13I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. | 13I also shook out the front of my garment and said, "Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise. | 13Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise. | 13I also shook the folds of my robe and said, "May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn't keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!" The whole assembly said, "Amen," and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised. |
Nehemiah's Generosity | 14Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year--twelve years--neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. | 14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. | 14Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance. | 14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. | 14Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah--from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years--I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. |
| 15But the earlier governors--those preceding me--placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. | 15The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. | 15But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God. | 15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. | 15The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn't do this, because of the fear of God. |
| 16Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land. | 16I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. | 16I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. | 16Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. | 16Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn't buy any land. |
| 17Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. | 17Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. | 17Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. | 17Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. | 17There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. |
| 18Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. | 18Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. | 18Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the governor's food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. | 18Now that which was prepared for me daily 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 required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. | 18Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days. But I didn't demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. |
| 19Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people. | 19Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. | 19Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. | 19Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. | 19Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people. |
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