² When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.^(A)

⁴ Then the king extended the gold scepter^(A) to Esther and she arose and stood before him.

¹¹ “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned^(A) the king has but one law:^(B) that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter^(C) to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering^(A) before God.^(B)

¹⁰ and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.^(A)

Psalm 116

⁹ She pleased him and won his favor.^(A) Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.^(B) He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

I was cupbearer^(C) to the king.

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name^(A) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[a](B) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”^(C)