| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. | 1Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. |
| 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 those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” |
| 3There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of 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.” |
| 4There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. | 4And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. |
| 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.” | 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.” |
| 6And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. | 6I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. |
| 7After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against 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 I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found 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. |
| 9Then I said, “What 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? | 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 also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! | 10Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. |
| 11Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.” | 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.” |
| 12So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. | 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. |
| 13Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise. | 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 time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. | 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 former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. | 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. |
| 16Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. | 16I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. |
| 17And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. | 17Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. |
| 18Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this 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, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. | 19Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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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