⁸ Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them.^(A)

²⁰ When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men, these Jews, are disturbing our city^{(A) 21} and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us, being Romans, to adopt or observe.”

¹² may it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.^{(A) 13} Now may it be known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced.^{(B) 14} Now because we share the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, ¹⁵ so that a search may be made in the annals of your ancestors. You will discover in the annals that this is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from long ago. On that account this city was laid waste.

²⁷ The Lord will scatter you among the peoples; only a few of you will be left among the nations where the Lord will lead you.^(A)

³³ And you I will scatter among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword against you; your land shall be a desolation and your cities a waste.^(A)

Salutation

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Salutation

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the dispersion:

Greetings.

²² But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”^(A)

⁵ We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.^[a](A)

⁶ When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers and sisters before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also,^{(A) 7} and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.”^(B)