⁵ Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to serve her. She commanded him to go to Mordecai and find out what was going on and why.

⁶ So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai informed him about everything that had happened to him. He told him the exact amount of silver that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasury to destroy the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him a copy of the decree that was issued in Susa. The decree gave permission to exterminate the Jews. Hathach was supposed to show it to Esther to inform and command her to go to the king, beg him for mercy, and appeal to him for her people. ⁹ So Hathach returned and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

¹⁰ Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to say to Mordecai, ¹¹ “All the king’s advisers and the people in the king’s provinces know that no one approaches the king in the throne room without being summoned. By law that person must be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to him will he live. I, myself, have not been summoned to enter the king’s presence for 30 days now.” ¹² So Esther’s servants told Mordecai what Esther said.

¹³ Mordecai sent this answer back to Esther, “Do not imagine that just because you are in the king’s palace you will be any safer than all the rest of the Jews. ¹⁴ The fact is, even if you remain silent now, someone else will help and rescue the Jews, but you and your relatives will die. And who knows, you may have gained your royal position for a time like this.”

¹⁵ Esther sent this reply back to Mordecai, ¹⁶ “Assemble all the Jews in Susa. Fast for me: Do not eat or drink at all for three entire days. My servants and I will also fast. After that, I will go to the king, even if it is against a royal decree. If I die, I die.”

¹⁷ Mordecai did just as Esther had commanded him.

We Are at Peace with God because of Jesus

5 Now that we have God’s approval by faith, we have peace with God because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done. ² Through Christ we can approach God ^[a] and stand in his favor.^[b] So we brag because of our confidence that we will receive glory from God. ³ But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, ⁴ endurance creates character, and character creates confidence. ⁵ We’re not ashamed to have this confidence, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ Look at it this way: At the right time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for ungodly people. ⁷ Finding someone who would die for a godly person is rare. Maybe someone would have the courage to die for a good person. ⁸ Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us.

⁹ Since Christ’s blood has now given us God’s approval, we are even more certain that Christ will save us from God’s anger. ¹⁰ If the death of his Son restored our relationship with God while we were still his enemies, we are even more certain that, because of this restored relationship, the life of his Son will save us. ¹¹ In addition, our Lord Jesus Christ lets us continue to brag about God. After all, it is through Christ that we now have this restored relationship with God.

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane^(A)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with the disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.”

³⁷ He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons with him. He was beginning to feel deep anguish. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My anguish is so great that I feel as if I’m dying. Wait here, and stay awake with me.”

³⁹ After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, “Father, if it’s possible, let this cup ⌞of suffering⌟ be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine.”

⁴⁰ When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake, and pray that you won’t be tempted. You want to do what’s right, but you’re weak.”

⁴² Then he went away a second time and prayed, “Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, let your will be done.”

⁴³ He found them asleep again because they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

⁴⁴ After leaving them again, he went away and prayed the same prayer a third time. ⁴⁵ Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, “You might as well sleep now. The time is near for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up! Let’s go! The one who is betraying me is near.”