²² as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into ^(A)a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

¹⁰ Only, they asked us to remember the poor, ^(A)the very thing I was eager to do.

Israel's Remnant Taunts Babylon

³ When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve,

¹⁹ Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in ^(A)the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as ^(B)a holiday, and ^(C)as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.

⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and ^(A)had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And ^(B)they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, ^(C)attending the temple ^(D)together and ^(E)breaking bread in their homes, they received their food ^(F)with glad and generous hearts,

²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(A)you will weep and lament, but ^(B)the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but ^(C)your sorrow will turn into joy. ^21 (D)When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ^22 (E)So also you have sorrow now, but ^(F)I will see you again, and ^(G)your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

⁴¹ But ^(A)give as alms those things that are within, and behold, ^(B)everything is clean for you.

⁴ “Blessed are ^(A)those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

The Lord Is My Strength and My Song