Nehemiah 13:17-19

New Catholic Bible

¹⁷ Therefore, I rebuked the nobles of Judah, saying to them: “What is this evil thing you are doing in profaning the Sabbath? ¹⁸ Is not this exactly what your ancestors did, with the result that our God has brought all this misery down upon us and upon this city? And now you are adding to the wrath that is befalling Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

¹⁹ When the evening shadows were falling on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the doors to be shut, and I further directed that they were not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. Furthermore, I stationed some of my attendants at the gate to ensure that no merchandise would be brought in on the Sabbath day.^[a]