Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes,^(A) put on sackcloth and ashes,^(B) and went out into the city, wailing^(C) loudly and bitterly. ² But he went only as far as the king’s gate,^(D) because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. ³ In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴ When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. ⁵ Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

⁶ So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.^{(E) 8} He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

⁹ Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 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^(F) the king has but one law:^(G) that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter^(H) to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

¹² When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent^(I) at this time, relief^(J) and deliverance^(K) for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”^(L)

¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast^(M) for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”^(N)

¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

Esther’s Request to the King

5 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes^(O) and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s^(P) hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 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.^(Q)

³ Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(R) it will be given you.”

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

⁵ “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶ As they were drinking wine,^(S) the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(T) it will be granted.”^(U)

⁷ Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If the king regards me with favor^(V) and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet^(W) I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai

⁹ Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage^(X) against Mordecai.^{(Y) 10} Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh,^(Z) his wife, ¹¹ Haman boasted^(AA) to them about his vast wealth, his many sons,^(AB) and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹² “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person^(AC) Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³ But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.^(AD)”

¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,^[a](AE) and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled^(AF) on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

Mordecai Honored

6 That night the king could not sleep;^(AG) so he ordered the book of the chronicles,^(AH) the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. ² It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.^(AI)

³ “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

“Nothing has been done for him,”^(AJ) his attendants answered.

⁴ The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.

⁵ His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”

“Bring him in,” the king ordered.

⁶ When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” ⁷ So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, ⁸ have them bring a royal robe^(AK) the king has worn and a horse^(AL) the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. ⁹ Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!^(AM)’”

¹⁰ “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”

¹¹ So Haman got^(AN) the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

¹² Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered^(AO) in grief, ¹³ and told Zeresh^(AP) his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall^(AQ) has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”^{(AR) 14} While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet^(AS) Esther had prepared.

Haman Impaled

7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,^{(AT) 2} and as they were drinking wine^(AU) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(AV) it will be granted.^(AW)”

³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor^(AX) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.^(AY) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.^[b]”

⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

⁶ Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷ The king got up in a rage,^(AZ) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.^(BA) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,^(BB) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch^(BC) where Esther was reclining.^(BD)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”^(BE)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.^{(BF) 9} Then Harbona,^(BG) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits^[c](BH) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”^{(BI) 10} So they impaled^(BJ) Haman^(BK) on the pole^(BL) he had set up for Mordecai.^(BM) Then the king’s fury subsided.^(BN)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,^(B) Jesus came to Bethany,^(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,^(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(G) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[b]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(H) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(I) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

⁹ Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^{(K) 10} So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ¹¹ for on account of him^(L) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.^(M)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(N)

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches^(O) and went out to meet him, shouting,

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this.^(S) Only after Jesus was glorified^(T) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him^(U) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸ Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,^(V) went out to meet him. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”^(W)

Jesus Predicts His Death

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks^(X) among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida^(Y) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour^(Z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.^{(AA) 24} Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,^(AB) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(AC) for eternal life.^{(AD) 26} Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.^(AE) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled,^(AF) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(AG) save me from this hour’?^(AH) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,^(AI) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,^(AJ) not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(AK) now the prince of this world^(AL) will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up^[g] from the earth,^(AM) will draw all people to myself.”^{(AN) 33} He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(AO)

³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law^(AP) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(AQ) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(AR) must be lifted up’?^(AS) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

³⁵ Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light^(AT) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(AU) before darkness overtakes you.^(AV) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”^(AW) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(AX)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(AY) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory^(BB) and spoke about him.^(BC)

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(BD) But because of the Pharisees^(BE) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^{(BF) 43} for they loved human praise^(BG) more than praise from God.^(BH)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^{(BI) 45} The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^{(BJ) 46} I have come into the world as a light,^(BK) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^{(BL) 48} There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them^(BM) at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(BN) to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life.^(BO) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”^(BP)