The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the CSB. Switch to the CSB to read along with the audio.
Ezra Reads the Teachings
8 All the people of Israel ·gathered [assembled] ·together [L like one man/person] in the square ·by [in front of] the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the ·teacher [scribe] to bring out the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Law; L Torah] of Moses, which the Lord had ·given to [commanded/prescribed for] Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month [C October 8], Ezra the priest brought out the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah] for the ·crowd [assembly]. Men, women, and all who could ·listen and understand [understand what they heard; C presumably older children] had ·gathered [assembled]. 3 At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah] out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could ·listen and understand [understand what they heard; C presumably older children]. All the people listened ·carefully [attentively; eagerly] to the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah].
4 Ezra the ·teacher [scribe] stood on a high ·wooden platform [dais; L tower of wood; 2 Chr. 6:13] that had been built just for this ·time [occasion; purpose]. On his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the ·book [scroll] ·in full view [L to the eyes] of everyone, because he was above them. As he opened it, all the people stood up [C a sign of respect; Judg. 3:20; Job 29:8; Ezek. 2:1]. 6 Ezra ·praised [blessed] the Lord, the great God, and all the people ·held up [lifted] their hands [Ezra 9:5; Ps. 28:2; 134:2] and said, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed ·down [low] and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 These Levites ·explained [instructed regarding; 2 Chr. 17:7–9] the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah] to the people as they ·stood there [remained in place]: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah. 8 They read from the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah] of God and ·explained [clarified; or translated] what it meant so the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and ·teacher [scribe], and the Levites who were ·teaching [instructing; interpreting] said to all the people, “This is a ·holy [sacred] day to the Lord your God. Don’t ·be sad [mourn] or ·cry [weep].” All the people had been ·crying [weeping] as they listened to the words of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah].
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and ·enjoy good food [L eat of the fat] and sweet drinks [Lev. 3; 2 Sam. 6:19; 1 Chr. 12:40–41; 29:22; 2 Chr. 7:8–10; 30:21–26]. Send ·some [portions] to people who have ·none [nothing prepared], because today is a ·holy [sacred] day to the Lord. Don’t ·be sad [grieve; mourn], because the joy of the Lord ·will make you strong [is your strength].”
11 The Levites helped calm the people, saying, “Be ·quiet [still], because this is a ·holy [sacred] day. Don’t ·be sad [grieve; mourn].”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to ·send some of their food to others [share; send portions], and to ·celebrate with [L make] great joy. They finally understood ·what they had been taught [the words/matters that had been made known to them].
13 On the second day of the month [October 9, 445 bc], the ·leaders [heads] of all the families, the priests, and the Levites met with Ezra the ·teacher [scribe]. They ·gathered [assembled] to ·study [consider; gain insight into] the words of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah]. 14 This is what they found written in the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah]: The Lord commanded through Moses that the people of Israel were to live in ·shelters [T booths; C temporary dwellings; Ex. 23:33; Deut. 16:13–15] during the feast of the seventh month. 15 The people ·were supposed to [should] ·preach this message [make/issue a proclamation] and ·spread [disseminate] it through all their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the ·mountains [hills], and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, myrtle trees, palms, and ·shade [other leafy] trees. Make ·shelters [booths] with them, as it is written [C prescribed in the Law of Moses].”
16 So the people went out and got tree branches. They built ·shelters [T booths] on their roofs [C roofs were living space], in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the ·Temple [L house] of God, in the square by the Water Gate, and in the square next to the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole ·group [assembly] that had come back from ·captivity [exile] built ·shelters [T booths] and lived in them. The Israelites had not done this since the ·time [days] of Joshua son of Nun. And ·they were very happy [there was great rejoicing].
18 Ezra read to them every day from the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah] of God, from the first day to the last [C of the festival]. The people of Israel celebrated the feast for seven days, and then on the eighth day the people ·gathered [held a solemn assembly] ·as the law said [L according to the judgment].
The People’s Prayer(A)
Israel Confesses Sins
9 On the twenty-fourth day of that same month [October 31], the people of Israel ·gathered [assembled]. They fasted, and they wore ·rough cloth [sackcloth] and put dust on their heads [C signs of grief or repentance]. 2 ·Those people whose ancestors were from Israel [L The seed of Israel] had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and confessed their sins and their ancestors’ ·sins [iniquities]. 3 For a fourth of the day [C three hours] they stood where they were and read from the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; L Torah] of the Lord their God. For another fourth of the day they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 These Levites were standing on the stairs: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani. They called out to the Lord their God with loud voices. 5 Then these Levites spoke: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who lives ·forever and ever [from age to age/everlasting to everlasting].”
“Blessed be your ·wonderful [glorious] name.
·It is more wonderful than [May it be exalted above] all blessing and praise.
6 You ·are the only [alone are the] Lord.
You made the ·heavens [sky], even the ·highest [L heavens of the] heavens,
with all ·the stars [L their hosts].
You made the earth and everything on it,
the seas and everything in them;
you give life to everything.
The heavenly ·army [host] worships you.
7 “You are the ·Lord,
the God [or Lord God,] who chose Abram
and brought him ·out of [forth from] Ur ·in Babylonia [L of the Chaldeans; Gen. 12:1–3]
and named [C renamed] him Abraham [Gen. 17:5].
8 You found ·him [L his heart] faithful to you,
so you made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with him
to give his ·descendants [L seed] the land of the Canaanites,
Hittites, Amorites,
Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites.
You have ·kept [fulfilled] your ·promise [word],
because you ·do what is right [are righteous].
9 “You saw our ·ancestors [fathers] ·suffering [miserable; afflicted; in distress] in Egypt
and heard them cry out ·at [beside] the ·Red Sea [L Sea of Reeds; Ex. 14–15].
10 You ·did [performed; displayed] signs and ·miracles [wonders] against ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh],
and against all his ·officers [officials; servants] and all the people of his land,
because you knew how ·proud [arrogant; insolent] they were to them [C Israel’s ancestors].
You ·became as famous [L made a name for yourself] ·as you are today [which remains to this day].
11 You ·divided [split; opened] the sea in front of ·our ancestors [L them];
they ·walked [passed] through the sea on dry ground [Ex. 14–15].
But you threw ·the people chasing them into the deep water [their pursuers into the depths],
like a stone thrown into ·mighty [raging; surging] waters.
12 You ·led [guided] ·our ancestors [L them] with a ·pillar [column] of cloud by day
and with a ·pillar [column] of fire at night [Ex. 13:21].
It lit the way
they were supposed to go.
13 You came down ·to [on; at] Mount Sinai
and spoke from heaven to ·our ancestors [L them].
You gave them ·fair [just] ·rules [judgments] and true ·teachings [laws; instructions; L Torah],
good ·orders [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and commands.
14 You ·told [revealed; made known to] them about your holy Sabbath [Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15]
and gave them commands, ·orders [statutes; ordinances; requirements], and ·teachings [laws; instructions; L Torah]
through your servant Moses.
15 When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven [C the manna; Ex. 16:31].
When they were thirsty, you brought them water from ·the [a] rock [Ex. 17:1–7; Num. 20:1–13].
You told them to enter and ·take over [possess]
the land you had ·promised [sworn; L raised your hand] to give them.
16 “But ·our ancestors [L they, our fathers,] were ·proud [arrogant; insolent] and ·stubborn [rebellious; L stiff-necked]
and did not ·obey [listen/pay attention to] your commands.
17 They refused to ·listen [obey];
they ·forgot [L did not remember/recall] the ·miracles [wonders] you ·did [performed] ·for [among] them.
So they became ·stubborn [rebellious; L stiff-necked],
·choosing [appointing] a leader to take them back to slavery in Egypt.[a]
But you are a forgiving God.
You are ·kind [gracious] and ·full of mercy [compassionate].
You ·do not become angry quickly [T are slow to anger], and ·you have great [abounding in unfailing/steadfast] love [compare Ex. 34:6; Num. 14:18; Ps. 86:15, 145:8; Joel 2:13]
So you did not ·leave [abandon; desert; forsake] them.
18 ·Our ancestors [L They] even ·made [cast] a calf [C as an idol] for themselves.
They said, ‘This is your god
who brought you up out of Egypt [Ex. 32].’
They ·spoke against you [L committed great blasphemies].
19 “You have great ·mercy [compassion],
so you did not ·leave [abandon; desert; forsake] them in the ·desert [wilderness].
The pillar of cloud ·guided them by day [L did not turn from them by day in guiding them in the path],
·and the pillar of fire led them at night,
lighting the way they were to go [nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel].
20 You ·gave [sent; imparted] your good Spirit to ·teach [instruct] them.
You ·gave them manna to eat [L did not withhold manna from their mouth]
and gave them water when they were thirsty.
21 You ·took care of [sustained; provided for] them for forty years in the ·desert [wilderness];
they ·needed [lacked] nothing.
Their clothes did not wear out,
and their feet did not swell.
Paul Is like the Other Apostles
9 ·I am a free man [L Am I not free?]. ·I am [L Am I not…?] an apostle. ·I have [Haven’t I…?] seen Jesus our Lord. ·You people are all an example of [L Are you not…?] my work in the Lord. 2 If others do not accept me as an apostle, surely you do, because you are ·proof that I am an apostle [L the seal/verification of my apostleship] in the Lord.
3 This is the answer I give people who want to ·judge me [examine me; question my credentials]: 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink [C receive hospitality and support for their missionary work]? 5 Do we not have the right to ·bring a believing wife with us when we travel [or be married to a believer; L take along a wife who is a sister] as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers [Matt. 13:55; Acts 1:14] and ·Peter [L Cephas; C Peter’s name in Aramaic; see 1:12]? 6 Are Barnabas [Acts 13—14] and I the only ones who ·must work to earn our living [L don’t have the authority/right not to work]? 7 ·No soldier [L Who…?] ever serves in the army and pays his own salary. ·No one [L Who…?] ever plants a vineyard without eating some of the grapes. ·No person [L Who…?] takes care of a flock without drinking some of the milk.
8 I do not say this ·by human authority [from human experience; L according to man]; God’s law also says the same thing. 9 [L For] It is written in the law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox when it is ·working in [treading; threshing] the grain [Deut. 25:4].” When God said this, was he ·thinking only [concerned] about oxen? No. 10 He was ·really [surely] talking ·about us [for our benefit]. Yes, that Scripture was written for us, because it goes on to say: “The one who plows and the one who ·works in the grain [threshes] should hope to get some of the grain for their work.” 11 ·Since [If] we ·planted [sowed] spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we should harvest material things from you [C receive support for ministry]? 12 If others have the right to get something from you, surely we have this right, ·too [or even more so]. But we ·do not use it [have not exercised this right]. No, we put up with everything ourselves so that we will not ·keep anyone from believing [L put up a hindrance to] the ·Good News [Gospel] of Christ. 13 ·Surely [L Don’t…?] you know that those who ·work at the Temple [perform priestly temple service] get their food from the Temple, and those who serve at the altar get part of what is offered at the altar. 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who ·tell the Good News [proclaim/preach the Gospel] should get their living from ·this work [L the Gospel].
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this now to get anything from you. I would rather die than to have my reason for ·bragging [boasting] taken away. 16 ·Telling the Good News [Preaching the Gospel] does not give me any reason for ·bragging [boasting]. Telling the Good News is my duty—something I must do. And ·how terrible it will be for [L woe to] me if I do not ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel]. 17 If I preach ·because it is my own choice [voluntarily], I have a reward. But if I preach ·and it is not my choice to do so [without volunteering], I am ·only doing the duty that was given to me [L entrusted with a stewardship/responsibility]. 18 So what ·reward [payment; wages] do I get? Only this: that when I tell the ·Good News [Gospel] I can offer it ·freely [free of charge]. I do not ·use [take advantage of; or misuse] my full rights in ·my work of preaching the Good News [L the Gospel].
12 ·Happy [Blessed] is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his ·very own [L inheritance; Ex. 19:5].
13 The Lord looks down from heaven
and sees every person.
14 From his throne he watches
all who live on earth.
15 He ·made [fashions all] their hearts
and understands everything they do.
16 No king is saved by his ·great [large] army.
No warrior ·escapes [is rescued/T delivered] by his great strength.
17 Horses ·can’t bring [are a vain hope for] victory;
they can’t save by their strength.
18 But the ·Lord looks after [L eye of the Lord is on] those who fear him,
those who ·put their hope [wait on him] in his ·love [loyalty; covenant love].
19 He ·saves [rescues; T delivers] ·them [their soul] from death
and ·spares their lives in times of hunger [revives them in famine].
20 So our hope is in the Lord.
He is our help, our shield to protect us.
21 ·We [L Our hearts] rejoice in him,
because we ·trust [have confidence in] his holy name.
22 Lord, ·show your love to us [L let your loyalty/covenant love be on us]
as we ·put our hope in [wait for] you.
11 If you punish ·those who make fun of wisdom [mockers], a ·foolish [immature; naive; simpleminded] person may gain some wisdom.
But if you teach the wise, they will get knowledge.
12 The righteous [C either God or righteous people] watch the house of the wicked
and ·bring ruin on every evil person [turn the wicked toward trouble].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.