Nehemiah 8:10-12

8:10 He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. ¹  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

8:11 Then the Levites quieted all the people saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not grieve.” 8:12 So all the people departed to eat and drink and to share their food ²  with others ³  and to enjoy tremendous joy, ⁴  for they had gained insight in the matters that had been made known to them.

Nehemiah 8:1

8:1 all the people gathered together ⁵  in the plaza which was in front of the Water Gate. They asked ⁶  Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded Israel.

Colossians 1:6

1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel ⁷  is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing ⁸  among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

Esther 9:19-22

9:19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country – those who live in rural cities – set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a holiday for happiness, banqueting, holiday, and sending gifts to one another.

9:20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 9:21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar each year 9:22 as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies – the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.

¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

² tn Heb “to send portions.”

³ tn The Hebrew text does not include the phrase “with others” but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn Heb “to make great joy.”

⁵ tn Heb “like one man.”

⁶ tn Heb “said [to].”

⁷ tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ἐστιν (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁸ tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ἐστίν (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.