10 King Ahasuerus laid tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea.^(A)

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

¹⁸ Afterward he shall turn to the coastlands and shall capture many, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence; indeed,^[a] he shall turn his insolence back upon him.^(A)

¹¹ On that day the Lord will again raise^[a] his hand to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.^(A)

⁹ The king’s secretaries were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day, and an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Cush, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.^(A)

King Ahasuerus Deposes Queen Vashti

1 This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush.^(A)

⁵ From these the coastland peoples spread. These are the descendants of Japheth^[a] in their lands, with their own language, by their families, in their nations.^(A)