Haman’s Plot against the Jews

3 After these events King Ahasuerus ^(A)honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^(B)the Agagite, and ^(C)promoted him and ^[a]established his authority over all the officials who were with him. ² All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid ^[b]homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But ^(D)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^[c]homage. ³ Then the king’s servants who were at ^(E)the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “^(F)Why are you violating the king’s command?” ⁴ Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would ^[d]stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵ When Haman saw that ^(G)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^[e]homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. ⁶ But he ^[f]considered it beneath his dignity to ^[g]kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman ^(H)sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were found throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

⁷ In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, ^[h]Pur, that is the lot, was ^(I)cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, ^[i]until the twelfth month, that is ^(J)the month Adar. ⁸ Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; ^(K)their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not ^[j]comply with the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. ⁹ If it is pleasing to the king, let it be ^[k]decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay ^[l]ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” ¹⁰ Then ^(L)the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^(M)the Agagite, ^(N)the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ And the king said to Haman, “The silver is ^[m]yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

^12 (O)Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to ^(P)the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the officials of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written ^(Q)in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ Letters were sent by ^(R)couriers to all the king’s provinces ^(S)to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, ^(T)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to ^(U)seize their possessions as plunder. ^14 (V)A copy of the edict to be ^[n]issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they would be ready for this day. ¹⁵ The couriers went out, speeded by the king’s ^[o]order while the decree was ^[p]issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, ^(W)the city of Susa was agitated.

Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot

4 When Mordecai learned of ^(X)everything that had been done, ^[q]he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. ² And he came 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 ^(Y)fasting, weeping, and mourning rites; and many had sackcloth and ashes spread out as a bed.

⁴ Then Esther’s attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her, and the queen was seized by great fear. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he would remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. ⁵ Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom ^[r]the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this mourning was and why it was happening. ⁶ So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square, in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, and ^(Z)the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the elimination of the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him ^(AA)a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their annihilation, so that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and plead with him for her people.

⁹ So Hathach came back and reported 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 ^(AB)comes to the king in the inner courtyard, who is not summoned, ^(AC)he has only one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out ^(AD)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 And they reported 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 other Jews. ¹⁴ For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and ^(AE)rescue 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, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; ^(AF)do not eat or drink for ^(AG)three days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to the king, which is not in accordance with 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 ^(AH)on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood ^(AI)in the inner courtyard of the king’s palace in front of the king’s ^[s]rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the ^[t]throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. ² When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, ^(AJ)she obtained favor in his sight; and ^(AK)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached 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? ^(AL)Up 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, “^(AM)Bring Haman quickly so that we may do ^[u]as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. ^6 [v]As they drank their wine at the banquet, ^(AN)the king said to Esther, “^(AO)What is your request, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your wish? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” ⁷ So Esther replied, “My request and my wish is: ^8 (AP)if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do ^[w]what I wish, may the king and Haman come to ^(AQ)the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do ^[x]as the king says.”

Haman’s Pride

⁹ Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai ^(AR)at the king’s gate and ^(AS)that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. ¹⁰ Haman controlled himself, however, and went to his house. But he ^[y]sent for his friends and his wife ^(AT)Zeresh. ¹¹ Then Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and his ^(AU)many sons, and every occasion on which the king had honored him and how he had ^[z](AV)promoted him above the officials and servants of the king. ¹² Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one except me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and ^(AW)tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. ¹³ Yet all of this ^[aa]does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at ^(AX)the king’s gate.” ¹⁴ Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “^(AY)Have a wooden gallows ^[ab]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 ^[ac]advice pleased Haman, so he had the wooden gallows made.

The King Plans to Honor Mordecai

6 During that night ^[ad]the king ^(AZ)could not sleep, so he gave an order to bring ^(BA)the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. ² And it was found written what ^(BB)Mordecai had reported about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to ^[ae]attack King Ahasuerus. ³ Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” ⁴ So the king said, “Who is in the courtyard?” Now Haman had just ^(BC)entered the outer courtyard of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about ^(BD)hanging Mordecai on the wooden gallows which he had prepared for him. ⁵ So the king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the courtyard.” And the king said, “Have him come in.” ⁶ Haman then came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man ^(BE)whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said ^[af]to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” ⁷ Therefore Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, ⁸ have them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and ^(BF)the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head ^(BG)a royal turban has been placed; ⁹ then order them to hand the robe and the horse over to one of the king’s noble officials, and have them dress the man whom the king desires to honor, and lead him on horseback through the city square, ^(BH)and proclaim before him, ‘So it shall be done for the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

¹⁰ Then the king said to Haman, “Quickly, take the robe and the horse just as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fail to do anything of all that you have said.” ¹¹ So Haman took the robe and the horse, and dressed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “So it shall be done for the man whom the king desires to honor.”

¹² Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, while Haman hurried home, mourning, ^(BI)with his head covered. ¹³ And Haman informed ^(BJ)Zeresh his wife and all his friends of 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 ^[ag]of Jewish origin, you will not prevail over him, but will certainly fall before him.”

¹⁴ While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly ^(BK)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 ^[ah]as they drank their wine at the banquet, “^(BL)What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your wish? ^(BM)Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” ³ Then Queen Esther replied, “^(BN)If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my request, and my people as my wish; ⁴ for ^(BO)we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, ^(BP)killed, and eliminated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have kept silent, because the distress would not be sufficient reason to burden the king.” ⁵ Then King Ahasuerus ^[ai]asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, ^[aj]who would presume to do such a thing?” ⁶ And Esther said, “^(BQ)A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.

Haman Is Hanged

⁷ The king then got up ^(BR)in his anger from ^[ak]drinking wine and went into ^(BS)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 ^[al]place where they had been drinking wine, Haman was falling on ^(BT)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 stood before the king, said, “Indeed, behold, ^(BU)the wooden gallows standing at Haman’s house ^[am]fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai ^(BV)who spoke good in behalf of the king!” And the king said, “Hang him on it.” ^10 (BW)So they hanged Haman on the wooden gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, ^(BX)and the king’s anger subsided.

Mordecai Promoted

8 On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, ^(BY)the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai came before the king, because Esther had disclosed ^(BZ)what he was to her. ² Then ^(CA)the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

³ Then Esther spoke again ^[an]to the king, fell at his feet, wept, and pleaded for his compassion to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews. ⁴ And ^(CB)the king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood before the king. ⁵ Then she said, “^(CC)If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him, and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the ^(CD)letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to eliminate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. ⁶ For ^(CE)how can I endure to see the disaster which will happen to my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?” ⁷ So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, ^(CF)I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and they have hanged him on the wooden gallows because he had reached out with his hand against the Jews.

The King’s Decree Avenges the Jews

⁸ Now you write to the Jews ^[ao]as you see fit, in the king’s name, and ^(CG)seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring ^(CH)may not be revoked.”

^9 (CI)So the king’s scribes were summoned at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third ^[ap]day; and it was written in accordance with everything that Mordecai commanded the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the provinces which extended ^(CJ)from India to ^[aq]Cush, 127 provinces, to ^(CK)every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language, as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. ¹⁰ He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on ^(CL)horses, riding on royal relay horses, offspring of racing mares. ^11 [ar]In the letters the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right ^(CM)to assemble and to defend their lives, ^(CN)to destroy, kill, and eliminate the entire army of any people or province which was going to attack them, including children and women, and ^(CO)to plunder their spoils, ¹² on ^(CP)one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). ^13 (CQ)A copy of the edict to be ^[as]issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies. ¹⁴ The couriers, hurrying and speeded by the king’s command, left, riding on the royal relay horses; and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa.

¹⁵ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king ^(CR)in a royal robe of violet and white, with a large crown of gold and ^(CS)a garment of fine linen and purple; and ^(CT)the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶ For the Jews there was ^(CU)light, joy, jubilation, and honor. ¹⁷ In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was joy and jubilation for the Jews, a feast and a ^[at](CV)holiday. And ^(CW)many among the peoples of the land ^[au]became Jews, because the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.

Parables on Prayer

18 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ^(A)ought to pray and not ^(B)become discouraged, ² saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not ^(C)respect any person. ³ Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my ^[a]opponent.’ ⁴ For a while he was unwilling; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor ^(D)respect any person, ⁵ yet ^(E)because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice; otherwise ^[b]by continually coming she will ^(F)wear me out.’” ⁶ And ^(G)the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge *said; ⁷ now, will God not ^(H)bring about justice for His ^(I)elect who cry out to Him day ^[c]and night, and will He ^(J)delay long for them? ⁸ I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, ^(K)will He find ^[d]faith on the earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ Now He also told this parable to some people who ^(L)trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and ^(M)viewed others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men ^(N)went up into the ^[e]temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee ^(O)stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I ^(P)fast twice a week; I ^(Q)pay tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, ^(R)standing some distance away, ^(S)was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but ^(T)was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be ^[f]merciful to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; ^(U)for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

^15 (V)Now they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. ¹⁶ But Jesus called for ^[g]the little ones, saying, “Allow the children to come to Me, and do not ^[h]forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ Truly I say to you, ^(W)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

The Rich Young Ruler

^18 (X)A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹ But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me ^[i]good? No one is ^[j]good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments, ‘^(Y)Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Honor your father and mother.’” ²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept since my youth.” ²² Now when Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; ^(Z)sell all that you possess and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have ^(AA)treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²³ But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. ²⁴ And Jesus looked at him and said, “^(AB)How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For ^(AC)it is easier for a camel to ^[k]go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁶ Those who heard Him said, “And so who can be saved?” ²⁷ But He said, “^(AD)The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter said, “Behold, ^(AE)we have left ^[l]our own homes and followed You.” ²⁹ And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, ^(AF)there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive many times as much at this time, and in ^(AG)the age to come, eternal life.”

^31 (AH)Now He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, ^(AI)we are going up to Jerusalem, and ^(AJ)all the things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. ^32 (AK)For He will be ^[m]handed over to the Gentiles, and will be ridiculed, and abused, and spit upon, ³³ and after they have flogged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise.” ^34 [n](AL)The disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.

Bartimaeus Receives Sight

^35 (AM)Now as ^[o](AN)Jesus was approaching Jericho, a man who was blind was sitting by the road, begging. ³⁶ But when he heard a crowd going by, he began inquiring what this was. ³⁷ They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. ³⁸ And he called out, saying, “Jesus, ^(AO)Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹ Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “^(AP)Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁰ And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” ⁴² And Jesus said to him, “Regain your sight; ^(AQ)your faith has ^[p]made you well.” ⁴³ And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, ^(AR)glorifying God; and when ^(AS)all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.