Parallel Verses
Amplified
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave to come down to [meet with] you?”
New American Standard Bible
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
King James Version
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Holman Bible
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
International Standard Version
So I sent messengers to them, replying "I am involved in a great endeavor, so I can't leave. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?"
A Conservative Version
And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it, and come down to you?
American Standard Version
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Bible in Basic English
And I sent men to them saying, I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come down: is the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come down to you?
Darby Translation
And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?
Julia Smith Translation
And I shall send messengers to them, saying, I do a great work, and I shall not be able to come down: wherefore shall the work cease when I shall desist and come down to you?
King James 2000
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?
Lexham Expanded Bible
So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I am not able to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you all?"
Modern King James verseion
And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Notwithstanding, I sent messengers unto them, saying, "I have a great business to do, I cannot come down. The work should stand still, if I were negligent, and came down to you."
NET Bible
So I sent messengers to them saying, "I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?"
New Heart English Bible
I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?"
The Emphasized Bible
So I sent unto them messengers, saying, A great work, am, I, doing, and cannot come down, - wherefore should the work cease whilst I leave it, and come down unto you?
Webster
And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
World English Bible
I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?"
Youngs Literal Translation
And I send unto them messengers, saying, 'A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto you?'
Themes
Alliance and society with the enemies of God » The wicked tempt saints to
Fellowship » Instances of those who avoided fellowship with the wicked » Nehemiah
Geshem » Opposed nehemiah in building jerusalem
Liberality » Instances of » Jews after the captivity
Tobiah » An enemy of the jews in the time of nehemiah » Conspires to injure and intimidate nehemiah
Interlinear
Shalach
M@la'kah
Yakol
Yarad
M@la'kah
References
American
Morish
Word Count of 20 Translations in Nehemiah 6:3
Verse Info
Context Readings
Enemies Foiled
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave to come down to [meet with] you?” 4 They sent word to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same way.
Cross References
Proverbs 14:15
The naive or inexperienced person [is easily misled and] believes every word he hears,
But the prudent man [is discreet and astute and] considers well where he is going.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going.
Matthew 10:16
Luke 14:30
John 9:4
1 Timothy 4:15-16
Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them [completely occupied in your ministry], so that your progress will be evident to all.