| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 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. |
| 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.” |
| 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.” |
| 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. |
| 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.” |
| 6When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. | 6I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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? |
| 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. |
| 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.” |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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