Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For 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.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s ^wtax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. ^xYet 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.”

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting ^yinterest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and 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. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the ^zfear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return 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 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and ^amade them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold¹ 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.

Nehemiah’s Generosity

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their ^bgovernor in the land of Judah, from the ^ctwentieth year to the ^dthirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration² forty shekels³ of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

1 Now when ^fSanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not ^gset up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem¹ also says it, that you and the Jews intend to ^hrebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God,² strengthen my hands.

The Wall Is Finished

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Some Will Depart from the Faith

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that ^xin later times some will ^ydepart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^zdeceitful spirits and ^ateachings of ^bdemons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose ^cconsciences are seared, 3 who ^dforbid ^emarriage and ^frequire abstinence from foods ^gthat God created ^hto be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For ⁱeverything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is ^jmade holy by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

6 If you put these things before the brothers,¹ you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that ^kyou have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with ^lirreverent, silly ^mmyths. Rather ⁿtrain yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, ^ogodliness is of value in every way, ^pas it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 ^qThe saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,² because ^rwe have our hope set on the living God, ^swho is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 ^tCommand and ^uteach these things. 12 ^vLet no one despise you for your youth, but ^wset the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until ^xI come, devote yourself to the public ^yreading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, ^zwhich was given you by prophecy when the council of elders ^alaid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,³ so that all may see your ^bprogress. 16 ^cKeep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.