Ezra 5:2

5:2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began ¹  to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

Ezra 5:8

5:8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, ²  and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands.

Nehemiah 4:6

4:6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. ³  The people were enthusiastic in their work. ⁴ 

Nehemiah 4:1

Opposition to the Work Continues

4:1 (3:33) ⁵  Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews,

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁶  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Philippians 2:12-13

Lights in the World

2:12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, ⁷  2:13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.

¹ tn Aram “arose and began.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

² tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.

³ tn Heb “up to its half.”

⁴ tn Heb “the people had a heart to work.”

⁵ sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:23 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:33 HT, 4:2 ET = 3:34 HT, 4:3 ET = 3:35 HT, 4:4 ET = 3:36 HT, 4:5 ET = 3:37 HT, 4:6 ET = 3:38 HT, 4:7 ET = 4:1 HT, etc., through 4:23 ET = 4:17 HT. Thus in the Hebrew Bible chap. 3 of the Book of Nehemiah has 38 verses, while chap. 4 has only 17 verses.

⁶ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

⁷ tn Grk “with fear and trembling.” The Greek words φόβος and τρόμος both imply fear in a negative sense (L&N 25.251 and 16.6 respectively) while the former can also refer to respect and awe for deity (L&N 53.59). Paul’s use of the terms in other contexts refers to “awe and reverence in the presence of God” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 284; see discussion on 282-84). The translation “awe and reverence” was chosen to portray the attitude the believer should have toward God as they consider their behavior in light of God working through Jesus Christ (2:6-11) and in the believer’s life (2:13) to accomplish their salvation.