The King Plans to Honor Mordecai

6 During that night ^[a]the king ^(A)could not sleep so he gave an order to bring ^(B)the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. ² It was found written what ^(C)Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. ³ The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” ⁴ So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just ^(D)entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about ^(E)hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. ⁵ The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” ⁶ So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man ^(F)whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said ^[b]to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” ⁷ Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, ⁸ let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and ^(G)the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head ^(H)a royal crown has been placed; ⁹ and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, ^(I)and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

¹⁰ Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” ¹¹ So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”

¹² Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, ^(J)with his head covered. ¹³ Haman recounted ^(K)to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is ^[c]of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”

¹⁴ While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily ^(L)brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

Greetings of Night Watchers.

A Song of Ascents.

Overcoming the World

5 ^(A)Whoever believes that Jesus is the ^[a]Christ is ^[b](B)born of God, and whoever loves the ^[c]Father ^(C)loves the child ^[d]born of Him. ^2 (D)By this we know that ^(E)we love the children of God, when we love God and ^[e]observe His commandments. ³ For ^(F)this is the love of God, that we ^(G)keep His commandments; and ^(H)His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is ^[f](I)born of God ^(J)overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

⁵ Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who ^(K)believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is the One who came ^(L)by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not ^[g]with the water only, but ^[h]with the water and ^[i]with the blood. It is ^(M)the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are ^(N)three that testify: ^8 [j]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are ^[k]in agreement. ^9 (O)If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that ^(P)He has testified concerning His Son. ¹⁰ The one who believes in the Son of God ^(Q)has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has ^(R)made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. ¹¹ And the testimony is this, that God has given us ^(S)eternal life, and ^(T)this life is in His Son. ^12 (U)He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

This Is Written That You May Know

^13 (V)These things I have written to you who ^(W)believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have ^(X)eternal life. ¹⁴ This is ^(Y)the confidence which we have ^[l]before Him, that, ^(Z)if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, ^(AA)we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother ^[m]committing a sin not leading to death, ^(AB)he shall ask and ^[n]God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. ^(AC)There is a sin leading to death; ^(AD)I do not say that he should make request for this. ^17 (AE)All unrighteousness is sin, and ^(AF)there is a sin not leading to death.

^18 (AG)We know that ^(AH)no one who is ^[o]born of God sins; but He who was ^[p]born of God ^(AI)keeps him, and ^(AJ)the evil one does not ^(AK)touch him. ^19 (AL)We know that ^(AM)we are of God, and that ^(AN)the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰ And ^(AO)we know that ^(AP)the Son of God has come, and has ^(AQ)given us understanding so that we may know ^(AR)Him who is true; and we ^(AS)are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. ^(AT)This is the true God and ^(AU)eternal life.

^21 (AV)Little children, guard yourselves from ^(AW)idols.