121 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel , and Jeshua : Seraiah , Jeremiah , Ezra , 2 Amariah , Malluch , Hattush , 3 Shecaniah , Rehum , Meremoth , 4 Iddo , Ginnethoi , Abijah , 5 Mijamin , Maadiah , Bilgah , 6 Shemaiah and Joiarib , Jedaiah , 7 Sallu , Amok , Hilkiah and Jedaiah . These were the heads of the priests and their kinsmen in the days of Jeshua . 8 The Levites were Jeshua , Binnui , Kadmiel , Sherebiah , Judah , and Mattaniah who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving , he and his brothers . 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni , their brothers , stood opposite them in their service divisions . 10 Jeshua became the father of Joiakim , and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib , and Eliashib became the father of Joiada , 11 and Joiada became the father of Jonathan , and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua . 12 Now in the days of Joiakim , the priests , the heads of fathers' households were: of Seraiah , Meraiah ; of Jeremiah , Hananiah ; 13 of Ezra , Meshullam ; of Amariah , Jehohanan ; 14 of Malluchi , Jonathan ; of Shebaniah , Joseph ; 15 of Harim , Adna ; of Meraioth , Helkai ; 16 of Iddo , Zechariah ; of Ginnethon , Meshullam ; 17 of Abijah , Zichri ; of Miniamin , of Moadiah , Piltai ; 18 of Bilgah , Shammua ; of Shemaiah , Jehonathan ; 19 of Joiarib , Mattenai ; of Jedaiah , Uzzi ; 20 of Sallai , Kallai ; of Amok , Eber ; 21 of Hilkiah , Hashabiah ; of Jedaiah , Nethanel . 22 As for the Levites , the heads of fathers' households were registered in the days of Eliashib , Joiada , and Johanan and Jaddua ; so were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian . 23 The sons of Levi , the heads of fathers' households, were registered in the Book of the Chronicles e up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib . 24 The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah , Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel , with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks , as prescribed by David the man of God , division corresponding to division . 25 Mattaniah , Bakbukiah , Obadiah , Meshullam , Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates . 26 These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua , the son of Jozadak , and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe .
27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places , to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness , with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals , harps and lyres . 28 So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem , and from the villages of the Netophathites , 29 from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth , for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem . 30 The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people , the gates and the wall . 31 Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top e of the wall , and I appointed two great choirs , the first proceeding to the right on top e of the wall toward the Refuse Gate . 32 Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed e them, 33 with Azariah , Ezra , Meshullam , 34 Judah , Benjamin , Shemaiah , Jeremiah , 35 and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets ; and Zechariah the son of Jonathan , the son of Shemaiah , the son of Mattaniah , the son of Micaiah , the son of Zaccur , the son of Asaph , 36 and his kinsmen , Shemaiah , Azarel , Milalai , Gilalai , Maai , Nethanel , Judah and Hanani , with the musical instruments of David the man of God . And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above e the house of David to the Water Gate on the east . 38 The second choir proceeded to the left , while I followed them with half of the people on the wall , above e the Tower of Furnaces , to the Broad Wall , 39 and above e the Gate of Ephraim , by the Old Gate , by the Fish Gate , the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred , as far as the Sheep Gate ; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard . 40 Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God . So did I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests , Eliakim , Maaseiah , Miniamin , Micaiah , Elioenai , Zechariah and Hananiah , with the trumpets ; 42 and Maaseiah , Shemaiah , Eleazar , Uzzi , Jehohanan , Malchijah , Elam and Ezer . And the singers sang , with Jezrahiah their leader , 43 and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy , even the women and children rejoiced , so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar .
44 On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores , the contributions , the first fruits and the tithes , to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites ; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served . 45 For they performed the worship of their God and the service of purification , together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon . 46 For in the days of David and Asaph , in ancient times , there were leaders of the singers , songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God . 47 So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required , and set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites , and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron .
131 On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people ; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God , 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water , but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing . 3 So when they heard the law , they excluded all foreigners from Israel . 4 Now prior to this , Eliashib the priest , who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God , being related to Tobiah , 5 had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings , the frankincense , the utensils and the tithes of grain , wine and oil prescribed for the Levites , the singers and the gatekeepers , and the contributions for the priests . 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem , for in the thirty-second e year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king . After some time , however, I asked leave from the king , 7 and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah , by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God . 8 It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah's household goods out of the room . 9 Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms ; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense .
10 I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away , each to his own field . 11 So I reprimanded the officials and said , " Why is the house of God forsaken ?" Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts . 12 All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain , wine and oil into the storehouses . 13 In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest , Zadok the scribe , and Pedaiah of the Levites , and in addition e to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur , the son of Mattaniah ; for they were considered reliable , and it was their task to distribute to their kinsmen . 14 Remember me for this , O my God , and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services .
15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath , and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys , as well as wine , grapes , figs and all kinds of loads , and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day . So I admonished them on the day they sold food . 16 Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise , and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath , even in Jerusalem . 17 Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing , by profaning the sabbath day ? 18 " Did not your fathers do the same , so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble ? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath ." 19 It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath , I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath . Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day . 20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside e Jerusalem . 21 Then I warned them and said to them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall ? If you do so again , I will use force against you." From that time on they did not come on the sabbath . 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers e to sanctify the sabbath day . For this also remember me, O my God , and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness .
23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod , Ammon and Moab . 24 As for their children , half spoke in the language of Ashdod , and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah , but the language of his own people . 25 So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair , and made them swear by God , "You shall not give your daughters to their sons , nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 " Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things ? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God , and God made him king over all Israel ; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin . 27 "Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women ?" 28 Even one of the sons of Joiada , the son of Eliashib the high priest , was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite , so I drove him away from me. 29 Remember them, O my God , because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites . 30 Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites , each in his task , 31 and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits . Remember me, O my God , for good .
23 When they had been released , they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said , "O Lord , it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA , AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM 25 who by the Holy Spirit , through the mouth of our father David Your servant , said , ' WHY e DID THE GENTILES RAGE , AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS ? 26 ' THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND , AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER e e AGAINST THE Lord AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST .' 27 For truly e in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus , whom You anointed , both Herod and Pontius Pilate , along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel , 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur . 29 "And now , Lord , take note of their threats , and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence , 30 while You extend Your hand to heal , and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus ." 31 And when they had prayed , the place where e they had gathered together was shaken , and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness .
32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul ; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own , but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus , and abundant grace was upon them all . 34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles' feet , and they would be distributed to each as any had need . 36 Now Joseph , a Levite of Cyprian birth , who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement ), 37 and who owned a tract of land , sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet .
(Read Acts 4:23-31)
Christ's followers do best in company, provided it is their own company. It encourages God's servants, both in doing work, and suffering work, that they serve the God who made all things, and therefore has the disposal of all events; and the Scriptures must be fulfilled. Jesus was anointed to be a Saviour, therefore it was determined he should be a sacrifice, to make atonement for sin. But sin is not the less evil for God's bringing good out of it. In threatening times, our care should not be so much that troubles may be prevented, as that we may go on with cheerfulness and courage in our work and duty. They do not pray, Lord let us go away from our work, now that it is become dangerous, but, Lord, give us thy grace to go on stedfastly in our work, and not to fear the face of man. Those who desire Divine aid and encouragement, may depend upon having them, and they ought to go forth, and go on, in the strength of the Lord God. God gave a sign of acceptance of their prayers. The place was shaken, that their faith might be established and unshaken. God gave them greater degrees of his Spirit; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, more than ever; by which they were not only encouraged, but enabled to speak the word of God with boldness. When they find the Lord God help them by his Spirit, they know they shall not be confounded, Isaiah 17.
(Read Acts 4:32-37)
The disciples loved one another. This was the blessed fruit of Christ's dying precept to his disciples, and his dying prayer for them. Thus it was then, and it will be so again, when the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high. The doctrine preached was the resurrection of Christ; a matter of fact, which being duly explained, was a summary of all the duties, privileges, and comforts of Christians. There were evident fruits of Christ's grace in all they said and did. They were dead to this world. This was a great evidence of the grace of God in them. They did not take away others' property, but they were indifferent to it. They did not call it their own; because they had, in affection, forsaken all for Christ, and were expecting to be stripped of all for cleaving to him. No marvel that they were of one heart and soul, when they sat so loose to the wealth of this world. In effect, they had all things common; for there was not any among them who lacked, care was taken for their supply. The money was laid at the apostles' feet. Great care ought to be taken in the distribution of public charity, that it be given to such as have need, such as are not able to procure a maintenance for themselves; those who are reduced to want for well-doing, and for the testimony of a good conscience, ought to be provided for. Here is one in particular mentioned, remarkable for this generous charity; it was Barnabas. As one designed to be a preacher of the gospel, he disentangled himself from the affairs of this life. When such dispositions prevail, and are exercised according to the circumstances of the times, the testimony will have very great power upon others.
