The Daily Audio Bible

8 And all the people was gathered together as one man, (in)to the street which is before the gate of waters. And they said to Ezra, the scribe, or the writer, that he should bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. (And then all the people gathered together as one person, in the square in front of the Water Gate. And they said to Ezra, the writer/the teacher of the Law, that he should bring The Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.)

² Therefore Ezra, the priest, brought the law before the multitude of men and of women, and before all that might understand, in the first day of the seventh month. (And so Ezra, the priest, brought The Book of the Law before the multitude of men and women, yea, to all who might understand it, in the first day of the seventh month.)

³ And he read in it openly in the street that was before the gate of waters, from the morrowtide till to midday, in the sight of men and of women, and of wise men; and the ears of all the people were raised up to the book to hear the law. (And he read from it openly in the square that was in front of the Water Gate, from the morning until noon, before men and women, yea, to all who were wise enough to understand it; and the ears of all the people were attentive to hear the Law from the book.)

⁴ And Ezra the writer stood on the degrees of wood, that he had made to speak upon to the people; and Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him, at his right half; and Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchiah, Hashum, and Hashbadana, and Zechariah, and Meshullam, stood at the left half. (And Ezra the writer/the teacher of the Law stood on a wooden platform, made for him so that he could speak to the people; and Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him, at his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam, stood at his left hand.)

⁵ And Ezra opened the book before all the people; for he appeared over all the people; and when he had opened the book, all the people stood to hear. (And Ezra opened the book before all the people; for he was above all the people; and when he had opened the book, all the people stood up to hear him.)

⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord God with great voice; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, raising up their hands. And they were bowed, and they worshipped God, lowly upon the earth. (And Ezra blessed the Lord God, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, and raised up their hands. And they bowed their heads, and then worshipped God, low upon the ground.)

⁷ And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, deacons, made silence in the people, for to hear the law. And the people stood in their degree. (And then Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, all Levites, expounded the Law to them. And all the people stood there in their places.)

⁸ And they read in the book of God’s law distinctly, and openly, to understand it; and they understood, when it was read. (And they read from The Book of God’s Law openly, and distinctly, and then expounded, or explained, it; and when it was read to the people in this way, they could understand it.)

⁹ Forsooth Nehemiah said, he is (the) Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest and writer, and the deacons, expounding to all the people, This is a day hallowed to the Lord our God; do not ye mourn, and do not ye weep. For all the people wept, when it heard the words of the law. (And Nehemiah, he was the governor, and Ezra, the priest and writer/the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites, expounding the Law to all the people, said to them, This day is holy to the Lord our God; do not ye mourn, and do not ye weep. For all the people had wept, when they had heard the words of the Law.)

¹⁰ And he said to them, Go ye, and eat ye fat things, and drink ye wine made sweet with honey, and send ye parts to them, that made not ready to themselves, for it is an holy day of the Lord; do not ye be sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (And he said to them, Now go ye, and eat ye rich food, and drink ye mead, and send ye portions to those who cannot provide for themselves, for this day is holy to the Lord; do not ye be sorrowful, or sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.)

¹¹ And the deacons made silence in all the people, and said, Be ye still, for this is an holy day, and make ye no sorrow. (And the Levites silenced all the people, and said, Be ye quiet, for this day is holy, and so do not ye be sad.)

¹² Therefore all the people went for to eat, and (to) drink, and to send parts (and to send portions to the needy), and to make great gladness; for they understood the words, which he had taught them.

¹³ And in the second day, the princes of families, and all the peoples, priests, and deacons, were gathered to Ezra, the writer, that he should expound to them the words of the law. (And on the second day, the leaders of the families, and all the people, and the priests, and the Levites, were gathered before Ezra, the writer/the teacher of the Law, so that he could expound to them the words of the Law.)

¹⁴ And they found written in the law, that the Lord commanded in the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel dwell in tabernacles in the solemn day(s), in the seventh month; (And they found written in the Law, that the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites should live in booths, or shelters, during the Feast of Tabernacles, that is, the Harvest Festival, in the seventh month;)

¹⁵ and that they (should) preach, and publish a voice in all their cities, and in Jerusalem; and say, Go ye out into the hill(s), and bring ye (back) boughs of the olive tree, and boughs of the fairest tree, the boughs of a myrtle tree, and the branches of a palm tree, and the boughs of a tree full of wood, that tabernacles be made of the boughs, as it is written (so that booths, or shelters, can be made out of the boughs, as it is written).

¹⁶ And all the people went out, and they brought (back) with them boughs, and they made to themselves tabernacles, each man in his house roof, and in their streets, either foreyards, and in the large places of God’s house, and in the street of the gate of waters, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. (And all the people went out, and they brought back some branches, and made booths, or shelters, for themselves, yea, each person on the flat roof of his house, or in their yard, or in the courtyards of the House of God, or in the public squares by the Water Gate, and the Ephraim Gate.)

¹⁷ Therefore all the church, or congregation, of them, that is, (all) the gathering together (of them), that came again from [the] captivity, made tabernacles, and they dwelled in those tabernacles. Certainly the sons of Israel had not done such things from the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, unto that day; and full great gladness was there among them. (And so all the congregation, or the community, of them, who had returned from the captivity, made booths, or shelters, and they lived in those shelters. And truly the Israelites had not done such things from the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, until that day; and so there was much gladness among them.)

¹⁸ And Ezra read in the book of God’s law by all days of the solemnity, from the first day unto the last day; and they made the solemnity by seven days; and in the eighth day they made a gathering, (or collection,) of silver, by the custom. (And Ezra read from The Book of God’s Law for all the days of the Feast, or the Festival, from the first day until the last day; and they held the Feast for seven days; and then on the eighth day they held a closing ceremony, as was the custom.)

9 Forsooth in the four and twentieth day of this month, the sons of Israel came together in fasting, and in sackcloths, and earth was on them. (Now on the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites came together in sackcloths, with earth on their heads, for a fast, to show remorse for their sins.)

² And the seed of the sons of Israel was separated from each alien man. And they stood before the Lord, and acknowledged their sins, and the wickednesses of their fathers. (And the descendants of the Israelites separated themselves from every foreigner. And they stood before the Lord, and confessed their sins, and the wickednesses of their forefathers.)

³ And they rose together to stand; and they read in the book of the law of the Lord their God four times in the day, and four times in the night; they acknowledged, and praised the Lord their God. (And they stood up in their places; and The Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read to them for one fourth, or one quarter, of the day; and then for another fourth, or quarter, they confessed their sins, and praised the Lord their God.)

⁴ Forsooth they rised [up] on the degree, of (the) deacons, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Bunni, Shebaniah, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. And the deacons cried with great voice to their Lord God. (And then Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Bunni, Shebaniah, Sherebiah, another Bani, and Chenani stood on the platform built for the Levites. And they cried aloud to the Lord their God.)

⁵ And (the deacons,) Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Rise ye (up), and bless ye the Lord your God, from without beginning and till into without end; and Lord, bless they the high name of thy glory in all blessing and praising. (And the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Rise ye up, and bless ye the Lord your God, forever and ever; yea, Lord, bless they thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.)

⁶ Thou thyself, Lord, art alone/Thou thyself, Lord, art alone God; thou madest heaven, and the heaven of heavens, and all the host of those heavens; thou madest the earth and all things that be therein; thou madest the seas and all things that be in them; and thou quickenest all these things; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. (Thou thyself, art Lord alone/Thou thyself, Lord, art God alone; thou madest the heavens, yea, the highest heavens, and all the stars of the sky; thou madest the earth and all the things that be on it; thou madest the seas and all the things that be in them; and thou quickenest all these things; and the host of heaven, that is, the heavenly powers, worshippeth thee.)

⁷ Thou thyself art the Lord God, that choosedest Abram, and leddest him out of the fire of Chaldees, and thou settedest, or calledest, his name Abraham; (Thou thyself art the Lord God, who chosest Abram, and leddest him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and thou calledest his name Abraham;)

⁸ and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and thou hast smitten with him a bond of peace, that thou wouldest give to him the land of Canaanites, of Hittites, of Hivites, of Amorites, and of Perizzites, and of Jebusites, and of Girgashites, that thou wouldest give it to his seed; and thou hast fulfilled thy words, for thou art just. (and foundest that his heart was faithful before thee, and so thou madest a covenant with him, that thou wouldest give him the land of the Canaanites, and Hittites, Hivites, and Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites, yea, that thou wouldest give it all to his descendants; and thou hast fulfilled thy words, for thou art just.)

⁹ And thou hast seen the torment of our fathers in Egypt, and thou heardest the cry of them upon the Red Sea. (And thou saw the torment of our forefathers in Egypt, and thou heardest their cries at the Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds.)

¹⁰ And thou hast given signs and great wonders in Pharaoh, and in all his servants, and in all the people of that land; for thou knowest, that they did proudly against our fathers; and thou madest to thee a name, as also (it is) in this day. (And thou gavest signs and great wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of that land; for thou knewest, that they did proudly against our forefathers; and thou madest a name for thyself, as it is unto this day.)

¹¹ And thou partedest the sea before them, and they passed through the midst of the sea in the dry place; and thou castedest down the pursuers of them into the depth, as a stone in strong waters. (And thou partedest the Red Sea before them, and they passed through the middle of it on dry land; and thou threwest down their pursuers into the depths, like a stone thrown into mighty waters.)

¹² And in a pillar of cloud thou were the leader of them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, that the way, by which they entered, should appear to them. (And thou wast their leader by a pillar of cloud in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night, so that the way by which they should go, was clear to them.)

¹³ Also thou camest down at the hill of Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and thou gavest to them rightful dooms, and the law of truth, ceremonies, and good commandments. (And thou camest down upon Mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven, and thou gavest them right judgements, and true laws, and good statutes, and commandments.)

¹⁴ And thou showedest to them an hallowed sabbath; and thou commandedest to them commandments, and ceremonies, and law, in the hand of Moses, thy servant. (And thou toldest them of thy holy Sabbath; and thou commandedest to them commandments, and statutes, and laws, through thy servant Moses.)

¹⁵ And thou gavest to them bread from heaven in their hunger; and thou leddest out of the stone water to them (who were) thirsting; and thou saidest to them, that they should enter, and have in possession the land, upon the which land thou raisedest up thine hand, that thou shouldest give it to them. (And thou gavest them bread, or manna, from heaven for their hunger; and thou leddest out water from the stone for those who were thirsting; and thou saidest to them, that they should go in, and take possession of the land, on which land thou raisedest up thy hand, and swore, that thou would give it to them.)

¹⁶ But they and our fathers did proudly, and made hard their nolls, and heard not thy commandments. (But they, our forefathers, did proudly, and were stiff-necked, or stubborn, and would not obey thy commandments.)

¹⁷ And they would not hear; and they had not mind of thy marvels, which thou haddest done to them; and they made hard their nolls; and they gave the head, that they were all-turned to their servage as by strife; but thou art God (who is) helpful, meek, and merciful, abiding long, either patient, and of much merciful doing, and forsookest not them; (Yea, they would not obey; and they did not remember thy marvels, which thou didest for them; and they stiffened their necks, and were stubborn; and they rebelled, and ordained a leader to take them back to their servitude, or their slavery; but thou art a helpful God, meek, and merciful, long abiding, or patient, and of great mercy, and thou didest not abandon them;)

¹⁸ and when they had made to them a molten calf, as by strife, and had said, This is thy God, Israel, that led thee out of Egypt, and they did great blasphemies to thy name. (even when they made for themselves a metal idol, yea, a calf, and said, Israel, this is thy god, that led thee out of Egypt, and they did great blasphemies to thy name.)

¹⁹ But thou, Lord, in thy many mercies leftest, or forsookest, not them in (the) desert; for a pillar of cloud went not away from them by the day, that it should lead them into the way whither they were to go; and the pillar of fire went not away from them by night, that it should show to them the way, by which they should enter. (Yet thou, Lord, in thy many mercies, did not leave, or forsake, them in the desert; for the pillar of cloud went not away from them in the day, so that it could lead them in the way that they should to go; and the pillar of fire went not away from them in the night, so that it could also show them the way that they should go.)

²⁰ And thou gavest to them thy good Spirit, that taught them; and thou forbadest not thine angel’s meat, (or thy manna,) from their mouth(s), and thou gavest to them water in their thirst (and thou gavest them water for their thirst).

²¹ Forty years thou feddest them in (the) desert, and nothing failed to them (and nothing failed for them); their clothes waxed not eld, and their feet were not hurt, (or swollen).

9 Whether I am not free? Am I not apostle? Whether I saw not Jesus Christ, our Lord? Whether ye be not my work in the Lord?

² And though to others I am not apostle, but nevertheless to you I am; for ye be the little sign of mine apostlehood [for why ye be the signal, or little sign, of mine apostlehood] in the Lord.

³ My defence to them that ask me, that is. [My defence to them that ask me, is this].

⁴ Whether we have not power to eat and drink?

⁵ Whether we have not power to lead about a woman, a sister, as also other apostles, and brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

⁶ Or I alone and Barnabas have not power to work these things?

⁷ Who travaileth any time with his own wages? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of his fruit? Who keepeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?^[a]

⁸ Whether after man I say these things? whether also the law saith not these things?

⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not bind [up] the mouth of the ox that thresheth. Whether of oxen is charge to God?

¹⁰ Whether for us he saith these things? For why those be written for us [For why for us they be written]; for he that ploweth, oweth to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope to take fruits.

¹¹ If we sow spiritual things to you, is it great, if we reap your fleshly things?

¹² If others be partners of your power, why not rather we? But we use not this power, but we suffer all things, that we give no hindering [that we give no letting] to the evangel of Christ.

¹³ Know ye not, that they that work in the temple, eat those things that be of the temple [Know ye not, that they that work in the sanctuary, eat those things that be of the sanctuary], and they that serve to the altar, be partners of the altar?

¹⁴ So [and] the Lord ordained to them that tell the gospel, to live of the gospel.

¹⁵ But I used none of these things; and I wrote not these things, that they be done so in me; for it is good rather for me to die, than that any man should make my rejoicing void [than that any man void my glory].

¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, glory is not to me, for need-like I must do it^[b]; for woe to me, if I preach not the gospel.

¹⁷ But if I do this thing willfully, I have meed; but if against my will, dispensing is betaken to me. [Forsooth if I willing do this thing, I have meed; soothly if against my will, dispensation is betaken to me.]

¹⁸ What then is my meed? That I preaching the gospel, put the gospel without others' cost, that I use not my power in the gospel.^[c]

¹² Blessed is the folk, whose Lord is his God; the people which he chose into heritage to himself. (Happy is the nation, whose God is the Lord; the people whom he chose for his own inheritance.)

¹³ The Lord beheld from heaven; he saw all the sons of men. (The Lord looked down from heaven; he saw all the sons and daughters of men.)

¹⁴ From his dwelling place made ready before; he beheld on all men, that inhabit the earth (he looketh on all those who inhabit the earth).

¹⁵ Which made singularly, either each by himself, the souls of them; which understandeth all the works of them. (Who made each one of them individually; and who understandeth all their works, or their deeds.)

¹⁶ A king is not saved by much virtue, that is, strength; and a giant shall not be saved in the muchliness of his virtue. (A king is not saved by his large host, or his army; and a mighty man shall not be saved by his great strength.)

¹⁷ An horse is false to health; forsooth he shall not be saved in the abundance, either plenty, of his virtue. (A horse is an empty thing for salvation, or deliverance; for it shall not be able to save anyone by the abundance, or the plentifulness, of its strength.)

¹⁸ Lo! the eyes of the Lord be on men dreading him; and in them that hope in his mercy. (Lo! the eyes of the Lord be upon those who fear, or who obey, him; and upon those who hope for his mercy./Lo! the eyes of the Lord be upon those who revere him; and upon those who trust in his love.)

¹⁹ That he deliver their souls from death; and feed them in hunger. (So that he can save their souls from death; and feed them in times of famine.)

²⁰ Our soul suffereth the Lord, that is, abideth patiently his will (Our souls wait for the Lord, yea, we wait patiently for his will to be done); for he is our helper and defender.

²¹ For our heart shall be glad in him; and we shall have hope in his holy name. (And our hearts shall be glad in him; for we have trust in his holy name.)

²² Lord, thy mercy be made on us; as we hoped in thee. (Lord, let thy love rest upon us; for we have trusted in thee.)

¹¹ When a man full of pestilence is punished, a little man of wit shall be wiser (even someone of little wit, or of low intelligence, shall be made the wiser); and if he followeth a wise man, he shall take knowing.

¹² A just man of the house of a wicked man thinketh, to withdraw wicked men from evil. (The righteous think about the wicked in their houses, but it is God who shall throw down the wicked for their evil./The just God thinketh about the house of the wicked, and he shall throw down the wicked for their evil.)