Haman’s Plot Against Mordecai

⁹ So Haman went out that day ^(A)joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and ^(B)that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai ^(A)did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was ^(B)filled with wrath.

Massacre of the Innocents

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

^9 (A)Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

²⁰ Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and ^(A)lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into ^(B)joy.

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, ^(A)we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our ^(B)God whom we serve is able to ^(C)deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we ^(D)worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Saved in Fiery Trial

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar, in ^(A)rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.