Parallel Verses
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?
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?
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?”
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 to me saying, Come, let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono. But their purpose was to do me evil. 3 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? 4 And four times they sent to me in this way, and I sent them the same answer.
Cross References
Proverbs 14:15
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going.
Matthew 10:16
See, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Be then as wise as snakes, and as gentle as doves.
Luke 14:30
And saying, This man made a start at building and is not able to make it complete.
John 9:4
While it is day we have to do the works of him who sent me: the night comes when no work may be done.
1 Timothy 4:15-16
Have a care for these things; give yourself to them with all your heart, so that all may see how you go forward.