All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing,“ Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.” So now, strengthen my hands!

他们都要使我们惧怕，意思说，他们的手必软弱，以致工作不能成就。神啊，求你坚固我的手。

他们全都要使我们惧怕，说：“他们的手必软弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。”现在，求你坚固我的手。

他们全都要使我们惧怕，说：“他们的手必软弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。”现在，求你坚固我的手。

因为他们想恐吓我们，以为我们会吓得手发软，无法完成工程。但上帝啊，求你使我的手有力量！

其实他们众人是在恐吓我们，心里说：“他们的手必软弱，不能再作这工程，不会完工了！”现在，坚固我的手。

他們都要使我們懼怕，意思說，他們的手必軟弱，以致工作不能成就。神啊，求你堅固我的手。

他們全都要使我們懼怕，說：「他們的手必軟弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。」現在，求你堅固我的手。

他們全都要使我們懼怕，說：「他們的手必軟弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。」現在，求你堅固我的手。

因為他們想恐嚇我們，以為我們會嚇得手發軟，無法完成工程。但上帝啊，求你使我的手有力量！

其實他們眾人是在恐嚇我們，心裡說：“他們的手必軟弱，不能再作這工程，不會完工了！”現在，堅固我的手。

他們都要使我懼怕，意思是說：『他們的手會從這工作上發軟下來，以致工程作不了。』但現在呢、加強我的手吧。

蓋彼眾欲恐我、意謂我手必弱、以致工作不得成功、然我乃強厥手、○

彼言此、欲以懼我、使我心危、工作廢弛、然我志益銳。

彼眾皆欲使我懼、意謂、我必心灰、止息工作、致不得成、主歟、惟求鼓勵我、鼓勵我原文作堅我手○

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking,“ Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed,“ Now strengthen my hands.”

All of them were trying to frighten us. They thought,“ Their hands will get too weak to do the work. So it won’t be completed.” But I prayed to God. I said,“ Make my hands stronger.”

For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking,“ Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.

For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying,“ They will drop their hands from the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.

For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking,“ They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, God, strengthen my hands.

For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying,“ Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.” Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.

For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying,“ They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen me.

For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore,[ O God], strengthen my hands.

For they all would have made us afraid, saying,“ Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me.

And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles were building a temple for the LORD God of Israel,they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them,“ Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them,“ You have no right to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the LORD God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”Then the local people began to discourage the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building.They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. This letter was first written in Aramaic but then translated.[ Aramaic:]Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues– the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa( that is, the Elamites),and the rest of nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates.( This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:)“ To King Artaxerxes, from your servants in Trans-Euphrates:Now let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city. They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations.Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss.In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, we are sending the king this informationso that he may initiate a search of the records of his predecessors and discover in those records that this city is rebellious and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts from long ago. It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”The king sent the following response:“ To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings!The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence.So I gave orders, and it was determined that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in rebellion and revolt.Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll.Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct.Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?”Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped them with threat of armed force.So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.

I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

But he said to me,“ My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs– also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me!

In you, O LORD, I have taken shelter! Never let me be humiliated!

Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees,

So these officials said to the king,“ This man must be put to death. For he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city as well as all the other people there by these things he is saying. This man is not seeking to help these people but is trying to harm them.”

Thus I will strengthen them by my power, and they will walk about in my name,” says the LORD.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you– yes, I help you– yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!

When I am afraid, I trust in you.

Then those in Judah said,“ The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”Our adversaries also boasted,“ Before they are aware or anticipate anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us.So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,“ Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”

But as for you, be strong and don’t get discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”

They called out loudly in the Judahite dialect to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, trying to scare and terrify them so they could seize the city.

Strengthen the hands that have gone limp, steady the knees that shake!Tell those who panic,“ Be strong! Do not fear! Look, your God comes to avenge! With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.”

David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the LORD his God.

You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength. God deserves praise!