²⁰ Then I replied to them, ^(A)“The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim^[a] in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah's Prayer

⁴ As soon as I heard these words I ^(A)sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the ^(B)God of heaven. ⁵ And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, ^(C)the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

^12 (A)But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he ^(B)gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia.

^18 (A)and told them to seek mercy from the ^(B)God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not ^(C)be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.