So I told the officials that they were wrong. I asked them, “Why didn’t you take care of God’s temple {\cf2\super [84]} ?” Then I called all Levites together. I told them to go back to their places and duties in the temple.
Nehemiah 13:17 - Easy To Read Version I told the important people of Judah that they were wrong. I said to those important people, “You are doing a very bad thing. You are ruining the Sabbath. You are making the Sabbath day like it was any other day. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Then I reproved the nobles of Judah and said, What evil thing is this that you do–profaning the Sabbath day? American Standard Version (1901) Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Common English Bible So I scolded the officials of Judah: “What is this evil thing that you are doing?” I asked. “You are making the Sabbath impure! Catholic Public Domain Version And I put the nobles of Judah under oath, and I said to them: "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And I rebuked the chief men of Juda, and said to them: What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day? |
So I told the officials that they were wrong. I asked them, “Why didn’t you take care of God’s temple {\cf2\super [84]} ?” Then I called all Levites together. I told them to go back to their places and duties in the temple.
There were some men from the city of Tyre living in Jerusalem. Those men were bringing fish and all kinds of things into Jerusalem and selling them on the Sabbath {\cf2\super [86]} day. And the Jews were buying those things.
So I told those men that they were wrong. I said bad things to them. I hit some of those men, and I pulled out their hair. I forced them to make a promise in God’s name. I said to them, “You must not marry the daughters of those people. Don’t let the daughters of those foreign people marry your sons. And don’t let your daughters marry the sons of those foreign people.
I calmed myself down and then I went to the rich families and the officials. I told them, “You are forcing your own people to pay interest on the money you loan them! \{You must stop doing that!\} Then I called for all the people to meet together.
You are for evil people if you refuse to obey the law. But if you obey the law, then you are against them.
You leaders of Sodom, listen to the Lord’s message! You people of Gomorrah, listen to God’s teachings!
Tell these things to the king and his wife,\par “Come down from your thrones.\par Your beautiful crowns have fallen from your heads.”\par
So I will go to the leaders of Judah.\par I will talk to them.\par Surely the leaders know the way of the Lord.\par I am sure they know the law of their God.”\par But the leaders had all joined together\par to break away from serving the Lord.\par
“‘But the family of Israel turned against me in the desert. They did not follow my laws. They refused to obey my rules. \{And they are good rules\}—if a person obeys those rules, then he will live. They treated my special days of rest as if they were not important. They worked on those days many, many times. I decided to destroy them in the desert—to let them feel the full force of my anger.
“You must not hate your brother in your heart. If your neighbor does something wrong, then talk to him about it. But forgive him!
Leaders of Jacob and rulers of Israel,\par listen to me!\par You hate the right way of living!\par If something is straight,\par then you make it crooked!\par