“Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” (1 Corinthians 9:4–5 ESV). Paul wrote these words to the believers in Corinth as part of his defense of his

“But I said, ‘Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.’” (Nehemiah 6:11 ESV). Nehemiah had been steadfast in overcoming the external opposition of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem as they mocked, threatened, and plotted against the rebuilding

“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14 ESV). Nehemiah spoke these words while leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. Their enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and others—were ridiculing, threatening, and plotting against them. In the

“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (Nehemiah 1:11 ESV). Nehemiah prayed this after hearing the distressing news that

Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law (Ezra 10:3 ESV). After Ezra discovered that many of the

“O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.” (Ezra 9:15 ESV). When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem with the king’s commission and offerings for the

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10 ESV). Ezra, a priest descended from Aaron and a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, led the second major return of exiles to Jerusalem around 458

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.” (1 Corinthians 3:18–19 ESV). Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to be deceived by the values of the

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:1 ESV). After contrasting the difference between the natural man and the spiritual man in chapter two, Paul addressed a troubling third spiritual condition, the carnal man (“fleshly”). This person has received Christ

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:13–14 ESV). David concluded this psalm with a strong affirmation of faith. Even though he had previously expressed fear of