Nehemiah 8:9
Good News Translation
When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry. So Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law, and the Levites who were explaining the Law told all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God, so you are not to mourn or cry.

New Revised Standard Version
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.

Contemporary English Version
The people started crying when God's Law was read to them. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher, and the Levites who had been teaching the people all said, "This is a special day for the LORD your God. So don't be sad and don't cry!"

New American Bible
Then Nehemiah, that is, the governor, and Ezra the priest-scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people: “Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not lament, do not weep!”—for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Nehemiah (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This is a holy day to the Lord our God: do not mourn, nor weep: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And Nehemiah (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This is a holy day to the Lord our God: do not mourn, nor weep: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 7:65,70 And Athersatha said to them, that they should not eat of the holies of holies, until there stood up a priest learned and skilful. . . .

Nehemiah 10:1 And the subscribers were Nehemiah, Athersatha the son of Hachelai, and Sedecias,

Ezra 2:63 And Athersatha said to them, that they should not eat of the holy of holies, till there arose a priest learned and perfect.

Tirshatha.

Ezra 7:11 And this is the copy of the letter of the edict, which king Artaxerxes gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe instructed in the words and commandments of the Lord, and his ceremonies in Israel.

the Levites

Nehemiah 8:7,8 Now Josue, and Bani, and Serebia, Jamin, Accub, Sephtai, Odia, Maasia, Celtia, Azarias, Jozabed, Hanan, Phalaia, the Levites, made silence among the people to hear the law: and the people stood in their place. . . .

2 Chronicles 15:3 And many days shall pass in Israel, without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law.

2 Chronicles 30:22 And Ezechias spoke to the heart of all the Levites, that had good understanding concerning the Lord: and they ate during the seven days of the solemnity, immolating victims of peace offerings, and praising the Lord the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 35:3 And he spoke to the Levites, by whose instruction all Israel was sanctified to the Lord, saying: Put the ark in the sanctuary of the temple, which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built: for you shall carry it no more: but minister now to the Lord your God, and to his people Israel.

Hosea 4:6 My people have been silent, because they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me: and thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

This day

Nehemiah 8:2 Then Esdras the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those that could understand, in the first day of the seventh month.

Leviticus 23:24 Say to the children of Israel: The seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall keep a sabbath, a memorial, with the sound of trumpets, and it shall be called holy.

Numbers 29:1-6 The first day also of the seventh month shall be venerable and holy unto you; you shall do no servile work therein, because it is the day of the sounding and of trumpets. . . .

mourn not

Deuteronomy 12:7,12 And you shall eat there in the sight of the Lord your God: and you shall rejoice in all things, whereunto you shall put your hand, you and your houses wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you. . . .

Deuteronomy 16:11,14,15 And thou shalt feast before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger and the fatherless, and the widow, who abide with you: in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, that his name may dwell there: . . .

Deuteronomy 26:14 I have not eaten of them in my mourning, nor separated them for any uncleanness, nor spent any thing of them in funerals. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done all things as thou hast commanded me.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint to the mourners of Sion, and to give them a crown for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of grief: and they shall be called in it the mighty ones of justice, the planting of the Lord to glorify him.

Malachi 2:13 And this again have you done, you have covered the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and bellowing, so that I have no more a regard to sacrifice, neither do I accept any atonement at your hands.

all the people

2 Kings 22:11,19 And the king had heard the words of the law of the Lord, he rent his garments. . . .

2 Chronicles 34:19,21 And when he had heard the words of the law, he rent his garments: . . .

Romans 3:20 Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:9 And I lived some time without the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived,

2 Corinthians 7:9-11 Now I am glad: not because you were made sorrowful, but because you were made sorrowful unto penance. For you were made sorrowful according to God, that you might suffer damage by us in nothing. . . .

Context
Ezra Reads the Law
8And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read. 9And Nehemiah (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This is a holy day to the Lord our God: do not mourn, nor weep: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.10And he said to them: Go, eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to them that have not prepared for themselves: because it is the holy day of the Lord, and be not sad: for the joy of the Lord is our strength.…
Cross References
James 4:9
Be afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into sorrow.

Deuteronomy 12:7
And you shall eat there in the sight of the Lord your God: and you shall rejoice in all things, whereunto you shall put your hand, you and your houses wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you.

Deuteronomy 12:12
There shall you feast before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite that dwelleth in your cities. For he hath no other part and possession among you.

Nehemiah 7:65
And Athersatha said to them, that they should not eat of the holies of holies, until there stood up a priest learned and skilful.

Nehemiah 7:70
And some of the heads of the families gave unto the work. Athersatha gave into the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty bowls, and five hundred and thirty garments for priests.

Nehemiah 8:2
Then Esdras the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those that could understand, in the first day of the seventh month.

Nehemiah 8:8
And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read.

Nehemiah 12:26
These were in the days of Joacim the son of Josue, the son of Josedec, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Esdras the priest and scribe.

Nehemiah 8:8
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