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Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot
4 When Mordecai learned (A)all that had been done, [a]he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2 He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with (B)fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.
4 Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom [b]the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and (C)the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him (D)a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.
9 Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who (E)comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, (F)he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out (G)to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12 They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and (H)deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Esther Plans to Intercede
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; (I)do not eat or drink for (J)three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.
Esther Plans a Banquet
5 Now it came about (K)on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood (L)in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s [c]rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the [d]throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, (M)she obtained favor in his sight; and (N)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. 3 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? (O)Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” 4 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
5 Then the king said, “(P)Bring Haman quickly that we may do [e]as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6 [f]As they drank their wine at the banquet, (Q)the king said to Esther, “(R)What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7 So Esther replied, “My petition and my request is: 8 (S)if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do [g]what I request, may the king and Haman come to (T)the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do [h]as the king says.”
Haman’s Pride
9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai (U)in the king’s gate and (V)that he did not stand up or [i]tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and [j]sent for his friends and his wife (W)Zeresh. 11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the [k](X)number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had [l](Y)promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and (Z)tomorrow also I am [m]invited by her with the king. 13 Yet all of this [n]does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at (AA)the king’s gate.” 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “(AB)Have a [o]gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the [p]advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.
The King Plans to Honor Mordecai
6 During that night [q]the king (AC)could not sleep so he gave an order to bring (AD)the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 It was found written what (AE)Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just (AF)entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about (AG)hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. 5 The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man (AH)whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said [r]to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” 7 Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and (AI)the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head (AJ)a royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, (AK)and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”
Haman Must Honor Mordecai
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” 11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”
12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, (AL)with his head covered. 13 Haman recounted (AM)to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is [s]of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”
14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily (AN)brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
Esther’s Plea
7 Now the king and Haman came to drink wine with Esther the queen. 2 And the king said to Esther on the second day also [t]as they drank their wine at the banquet, “(AO)What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? (AP)Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 3 Then Queen Esther replied, “(AQ)If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; 4 for (AR)we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, (AS)to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the [u]trouble would not be commensurate with the [v]annoyance to the king.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus [w]asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, [x]who would presume to do thus?” 6 Esther said, “(AT)A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.
Haman Is Hanged
7 The king arose (AU)in his anger from [y]drinking wine and went into (AV)the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. 8 Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the [z]place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on (AW)the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, “Behold indeed, (AX)the gallows standing at Haman’s house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai (AY)who spoke good on behalf of the king!” And the king said, “Hang him on it.” 10 (AZ)So they hanged Haman on the [aa]gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, (BA)and the king’s anger subsided.
The Use of Spiritual Gifts
12 Now concerning (A)spiritual gifts, brethren, (B)I do not want you to be unaware. 2 (C)You know that when you were pagans, you were (D)led astray to the (E)mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking [a](F)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is [b](G)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is (H)Lord,” except [c](I)by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are (J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same (K)God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit (L)for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of (M)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of (N)knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another (O)faith [d]by the same Spirit, and to another (P)gifts of [e]healing [f]by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the [g]effecting of [h](Q)miracles, and to another (R)prophecy, and to another the [i](S)distinguishing of spirits, to another various (T)kinds of tongues, and to another the (U)interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, (V)distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
12 For even (W)as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, (X)so also is Christ. 13 For [j](Y)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether (Z)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to (AA)drink of one Spirit.
14 For (AB)the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [k]any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [l]any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has (AC)placed the members, each one of them, in the body, (AD)just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now (AE)there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, [m]it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we [n]deem less honorable, [o]on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no [p]division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is [q]honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Wickedness of Men and Lovingkindness of God.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
36 Transgression speaks to the ungodly within [a]his heart;
There is (A)no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For [b]it (B)flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.
3 The (C)words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has (D)ceased to [c]be wise and to do good.
4 He (E)plans wickedness upon his bed;
He sets himself on a (F)path that is not good;
He (G)does not despise evil.
5 Your (H)lovingkindness, O Lord, [d]extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your (I)righteousness is like the [e]mountains of God;
Your (J)judgments are like a great deep.
O Lord, You (K)preserve man and beast.
7 How (L)precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men (M)take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 They (N)drink their fill of the [f]abundance of Your house;
And You give them to drink of the (O)river of Your delights.
9 For with You is the (P)fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.