They were to ask this question of the prophets and the priests at the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:“ Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?”

并问万军之耶和华殿中的祭司和先知说：“我历年以来，在五月间哭泣斋戒，现在还当这样行吗？”

问万军之耶和华殿中的祭司，又问先知：“我当如历年以来所行，在五月哭泣斋戒吗？”

问万军之耶和华殿中的祭司，又问先知：“我当如历年以来所行，在五月哭泣斋戒吗？”

他们问万军之耶和华殿里的祭司和先知：“我们还要照多年的惯例在五月哀伤、禁食吗？”

他们询问万军之耶和华殿里的众祭司，以及众先知说：“我们还要在五月哭泣和禁食，像我们这许多年来所行的吗？”

並問萬軍之耶和華殿中的祭司和先知說：「我歷年以來，在五月間哭泣齋戒，現在還當這樣行嗎？」

問萬軍之耶和華殿中的祭司，又問先知：「我當如歷年以來所行，在五月哭泣齋戒嗎？」

問萬軍之耶和華殿中的祭司，又問先知：「我當如歷年以來所行，在五月哭泣齋戒嗎？」

他們問萬軍之耶和華殿裡的祭司和先知：「我們還要照多年的慣例在五月哀傷、禁食嗎？」

他們詢問萬軍之耶和華殿裡的眾祭司，以及眾先知說：“我們還要在五月哭泣和禁食，像我們這許多年來所行的嗎？”

請教於萬軍之永恆主殿中的祭司們和神言人們說：『我們是不是還要在五月間守着哀哭和離俗禮，像我們歷年來所行的呢？』

問萬軍之耶和華殿中的祭司們和先知們說：「我們還要像這許多年來所做的那樣，在五月哭泣、禁食嗎？」

謂萬軍之耶和華室中之祭司、與先知曰、我於五月間、仍當哭泣齋戒、循我歷年所行乎、

萬有之主耶和華殿中、有祭司先知、則問之曰、我歷年以來、於五月間離世故、哀痛迫切、今當復遵此例否、

並問諸祭司在萬有之主殿中者、及諸先知曰、我歷年以來、在五月間、號哭齋戒、齋戒或作離俗今猶當循此以行否、

by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets,“ Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?”

They went to the prophets and priests at the Lord’ s temple. They asked them,“ Should we mourn and go without eating in the fifth month? That’s what we’ve done for many years.”

saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets,“ Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?”

by asking the priests who were at the house of the LORD of Armies as well as the prophets,“ Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done these many years?”

speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of armies, and to the prophets, saying,“ Shall I weep in the fifth month and fast, as I have done these many years?”

and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying,“ Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”

and to speak unto the priests of the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

by asking the priests who were at the house of the Lord of Hosts as well as the prophets,“ Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done these many years?”

[ And] to speak unto the priests which[ were] in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

by asking both the priests of the temple of the LORD WHO RULES OVER ALL and the prophets,“ Should we weep in the fifth month, fasting as we have done over the years?”

and to speak to the priests of the house of Yahweh of Armies, and to the prophets, saying,“ Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?”

“ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.

“ The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

On August 14 of that year, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem.He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city.

On August 17 of that year, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem.He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city.Then he supervised the entire Babylonian army as they tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side.

Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray,“ Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say,‘ Has the God of Israel left them?’”

Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self control.

and present them to the Levitical priests or the judge on duty at that time. They will hear the case and declare the verdict.You must carry out the verdict they announce and the sentence they prescribe at the place the Lord chooses. You must do exactly what they say.After they have interpreted the law and declared their verdict, the sentence they impose must be fully executed; do not modify it in any way.

“ Say to all your people and your priests,‘ During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting?

“ All Israel will mourn, each clan by itself, and with the husbands separate from their wives. The clan of David will mourn alone, as will the clan of Nathan,the clan of Levi, and the clan of Shimei.Each of the surviving clans from Judah will mourn separately, and with the husbands separate from their wives.

At that time the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse.But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say,“ Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them,“ Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.And Nehemiah continued,“ Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them,“ Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.”

“ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law:

Jesus replied,“ Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.“ They will serve as judges to resolve any disagreements among my people. Their decisions must be based on my regulations. And the priests themselves must obey my instructions and decrees at all the sacred festivals, and see to it that the Sabbaths are set apart as holy days.

On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.

They teach your regulations to Jacob; they give your instructions to Israel. They present incense before you and offer whole burnt offerings on the altar.

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.