Nehemiah 13:17

Easy-to-Read Version

I told the important people of Judah that they were wrong. I said, "You are doing a very bad thing. You are ruining the Sabbath day.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

Hebrew Names Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Yehudah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the day of Shabbat?

King James Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

English Standard Version
Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

New Century Version
I argued with the important men of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing? You are ruining the Sabbath day.

New English Translation
So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

Amplified Bible
Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

New American Standard Bible
Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, by profaning the Sabbath day?

World English Bible
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then reprooued I the rulers of Iudah, and sayd vnto them, What euil thing is this that yee doe, and breake the Sabbath day?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, even profaning the sabbath day?

Berean Standard Bible
Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, "What is this evil you are doing-profaning the Sabbath day?

Contemporary English Version
I got angry and said to the leaders of Judah, "This evil you are doing is an insult to the Sabbath!

Complete Jewish Bible
I disputed with the nobles of Y'hudah, demanding of them, "What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat?

Darby Translation
And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning the sabbath day?

George Lamsa Translation
Then I contended with the chiefs of Judah and said to them, Why are you doing this evil thing and profaning the sabbath day?

Good News Translation
I reprimanded the Jewish leaders and told them, "Look at the evil you're doing! You're making the Sabbath unholy.

Lexham English Bible
So I quarreled with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the day of the Sabbath?

Literal Translation
And I contended with the nobles of Judah and said to them, What is this evil thing that you do, defiling the Sabbath day?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, and saide vnto them: What euell thinge is this that ye do, and breake the Sabbath daye?

American Standard Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Bible in Basic English
Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them, What is this evil which you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, & sayd vnto them: What euyl thing is this that ye do, & breake the Sabbath day?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them: 'What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

King James Version (1611)
Then I contended with the Nobles of Iudah, and sayd vnto them, What euill thing is this that ye doe, and profane the Sabbath day?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What is this evil thing which ye do, and profane the sabbath-day?

English Revised Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y rebuykide the principal men of Juda, and Y seide to hem, What is this yuel thing which ye doen, and maken vnhooli the daie of the sabat?

Update Bible Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

New King James Version
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?

New Living Translation
So I confronted the nobles of Judah. "Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?" I asked.

New Life Bible
Then I spoke sharp words to the leaders of Judah, saying, "What is this sinful thing you are doing by not keeping the Day of Rest holy?

New Revised Standard
Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
so I contended with the nobles of Judah, - and said unto them, What is this wicked thing which, ye, are doing, and profaning the sabbath day?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I rebuked the chief men of Juda, and said to them: What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day:

Revised Standard Version
Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing which you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?

Young's Literal Translation
And I strive with the freemen of Judah, and say to them, `What [is] this evil thing that ye are doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?

THE MESSAGE
I confronted the leaders of Judah: "What's going on here? This evil! Profaning the Sabbath! Isn't this exactly what your ancestors did? And because of it didn't God bring down on us and this city all this misery? And here you are adding to it—accumulating more wrath on Jerusalem by profaning the Sabbath."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ In those days in Judah, I saw people working on the Sabbath day. I saw people pressing grapes to make wine. I saw people bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys. I saw people carrying grapes, figs, and all kinds of things in the city. They were bringing all these things into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, so I warned them about this. I told them they must not sell food on the Sabbath day. ¹⁶ There were some men from the city of Tyre living in Jerusalem. They were bringing fish and all kinds of things into Jerusalem and selling them on the Sabbath day. And the Jews were buying them. ¹⁷ I told the important people of Judah that they were wrong. I said, "You are doing a very bad thing. You are ruining the Sabbath day. ¹⁸ You know that your ancestors did the same things. That is why our God brought all the troubles and disaster to us and to this city. Now you people are making it so that more of these bad things will happen to Israel. They are doing this because you are breaking the Sabbath by treating it just as if it were any other day." ¹⁹ So this is what I did: Every Friday evening, just before dark, I commanded the gatekeepers to shut and lock the gates to Jerusalem. They were not to be opened until the Sabbath day was over. I put some of my own men at the gates. They were commanded to make sure that no load was brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. ²⁰ One or two times, traders and merchants had to stay the night outside Jerusalem. ²¹ But I warned them, "Don't stay the night in front of the wall. If you do that again, I will arrest you." So from that time on they didn't come on the Sabbath day to sell their things. ²² Then I commanded the Levites to make themselves pure. After they did that, they were to go and guard the gates. This was done to make sure the Sabbath day was kept a holy day. My God, please remember me for doing this. Be kind to me and show me your great love!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I contended: Nehemiah 13:11, Nehemiah 13:25, Nehemiah 5:7, Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:2, Proverbs 28:4, Isaiah 1:10, Jeremiah 5:5, Jeremiah 13:18, Jeremiah 22:2-23, Micah 3:1, Micah 3:9

Reciprocal: Ezra 9:2 - the hand Proverbs 24:25 - them Isaiah 56:2 - keepeth the Ezekiel 23:38 - and have Matthew 12:5 - profane

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
All this land that you see I will give to you and your people who live after you. This will be your land forever.

Genesis 13:17
So go. Walk through your land. I now give it to you."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then I contended with the nobles,.... The rulers of the city, the civil magistrates, sharply reproved them for their neglect of duty:

and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? by suffering servile works to be done in it, and things sold on it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. I contended with the nobles — These evils took place through their negligence; and this I proved before them.