¹ These are the words of Nehemiah ²  son of Hacaliah: It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, ³  I was in Susa ⁴  the citadel.

So we worked on, ¹  with half ²  holding spears, from dawn till dusk. ³ 

if you become ¹  pure ²  and upright, ³  even now he will rouse himself ⁴  for you, and will restore ⁵  your righteous abode. ⁶ 

When you make a vow ¹  to God, do not delay in paying it. ²  For God ³  takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

before the sun and the light ¹  of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear ²  after the rain;

Later the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

Since it was the ninth month of the year, the king was sitting in his winter quarters. ¹  A fire was burning in the firepot in front of him. ² 

“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, ¹  not just your garments!”

The commander ¹  orders ²  his officers; they stumble ³  as they advance; ⁴  they rush to the city wall ⁵  and they set up ⁶  the covered siege tower. ⁷ 

Nineveh was like a pool ¹  of water ²  throughout her days, ³  but now ⁴  her people ⁵  are running away; ⁶  she cries out: ⁷  “Stop! Stop!” – but no one turns back. ⁸ 

And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return – whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn –

but they urged him, ¹  “Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done.” So ²  he went in to stay with them.

The disciples replied, ¹  “Rabbi, the Jewish leaders ²  were just now trying ³  to stone you to death! Are ⁴  you going there again?”

Therefore we must be wary ¹  that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.

‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, ¹  service, and steadfast endurance. ²  In fact, ³  your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

“For the last twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was ruling in Judah ¹  until now, the Lord has been speaking to me. I told you over and over again ²  what he said. ³  But you would not listen.

Citizens of Zion, ¹  rejoice! Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! ²  For he has given to you the early rains ³  as vindication. He has sent ⁴  to you the rains – both the early and the late rains ⁵  as formerly.

Now the day began to draw to a close, ¹  so ²  the twelve came and said to Jesus, ³  “Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging ⁴  and food, because we are in an isolated place.” ⁵