| New King James Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. | 1Now there was 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, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live." |
| 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 others who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might 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. | 4Also 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.” | 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." |
| 6And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. | 6Then I was very angry when I had 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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? | 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? |
| 10I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! | 10"And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. |
| 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.” | 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." |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any 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 one hundred and fifty 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 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. |
| 19Remember me, my God, for good, according to 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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