I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded,“ Why has the Temple of God been neglected?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties.

我就斥责官长说：“为何离弃神的殿呢？”我便招聚利未人，使他们照旧供职。

我就斥责官长说：“你们为何不顾上帝的殿呢？”于是我召集利未人，使他们在自己的岗位上供职。

我就斥责官长说：“你们为何不顾神的殿呢？”于是我召集利未人，使他们在自己的岗位上供职。

我斥责众首领说：“为何忽略上帝的殿？”然后，我招聚利未人，叫他们各归各职。

于是我责备众官长说：“为什么疏忽供应神的殿呢？”我就再召集利未人，使他们重站原来的岗位。

我就斥責官長說：「為何離棄神的殿呢？」我便招聚利未人，使他們照舊供職。

我就斥責官長說：「你們為何不顧上帝的殿呢？」於是我召集利未人，使他們在自己的崗位上供職。

我就斥責官長說：「你們為何不顧神的殿呢？」於是我召集利未人，使他們在自己的崗位上供職。

我斥責眾首領說：「為何忽略上帝的殿？」然後，我招聚利未人，叫他們各歸各職。

於是我責備眾官長說：“為甚麼疏忽供應神的殿呢？”我就再召集利未人，使他們重站原來的崗位。

我就譴責官長們說：『你們為甚麼將上帝的殿棄而不顧呢？』我便招集了利未人，重立他們的地位。

遂斥責民長曰、上帝之室、何遺棄之、因招集利未人、復供厥職、

我聞此、責諸伯曰、上帝之殿何不恪守、遂招徠利未人、使復厥職。

我斥責諸民長曰、天主之殿、何為遺棄、遂招集利未人、使仍供其職、

So I rebuked the officials and asked them,“ Why is the house of God neglected?” Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.

I gave a warning to the officials. I asked them,“ Why aren’t you taking care of God’s house?” Then I brought the Levites and musicians together. I stationed them in their proper places. I put them back to work.

So I confronted the officials and said,“ Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.

Therefore, I rebuked the officials, asking,“ Why has the house of God been neglected?” I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts.

So I reprimanded the officials and said,“ Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered them together and stationed them at their posts.

So I contended with the rulers, and said,“ Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Therefore, I rebuked the officials, saying,“ Why has the house of God been neglected?” I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking“ Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions.

Then I contended with the rulers, and said,“ Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

The people and the Levites must bring these offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms and place them in the sacred containers near the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers.“ We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”

So I confronted the nobles of Judah.“ Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?” I asked.

So I confronted them and called down curses on them. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear in the name of God that they would not let their children intermarry with the pagan people of the land.

So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

When I heard their complaints, I was very angry.After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them,“ You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.At the meeting I said to them,“ We are doing all we can to redeem our Jewish relatives who have had to sell themselves to pagan foreigners, but you are selling them back into slavery again. How often must we redeem them?” And they had nothing to say in their defense.Then I pressed further,“ What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?I myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending the people money and grain, but now let us stop this business of charging interest.You must restore their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes to them this very day. And repay the interest you charged when you lent them money, grain, new wine, and olive oil.”They replied,“ We will give back everything and demand nothing more from the people. We will do as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the nobles and officials swear to do what they had promised.I shook out the folds of my robe and said,“ If you fail to keep your promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property!” The whole assembly responded,“ Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

“ Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!“ But you ask,‘ What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’“ You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me.You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,“ I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them.

Have I feared the crowd or the contempt of the masses, so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?