Esther Approaches the King

5 On the third day,^(A) Esther dressed in her royal clothing and stood in the inner courtyard^(B) of the palace facing it. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom,^[a] facing its entrance. ² As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she gained favor with him. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.^(C)

³ “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.”^(D)

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet^(E) I have prepared for them.”

⁵ The king said, “Hurry, and get Haman so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared.

⁶ While drinking the^[b] wine,^(F) the king asked Esther, “Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be done.”

⁷ Esther answered, “This is my petition and my request: ⁸ If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and perform my request,^(G) may the king and Haman come to the banquet I will prepare for them.^(H) Tomorrow I will do what the king has asked.”

⁹ That day Haman left full of joy and in good spirits.^[c](I) But when Haman saw Mordecai at the King’s Gate, and Mordecai didn’t rise or tremble in fear at his presence, Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.^{(J) 10} Yet Haman controlled himself and went home. He sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh^(K) to join him. ¹¹ Then Haman described for them his glorious wealth and his many sons. He told them all how the king had honored him and promoted him in rank over the other officials and the royal staff.^{(L) 12} “What’s more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she had prepared. I am invited again tomorrow to join her with the king. ¹³ Still, none of this satisfies me since I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate all the time.”

¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows seventy-five feet^[d] tall.^(M) Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.^(N)

John the Baptist Beheaded

¹⁴ King^(A) Herod^(B) heard about it, because Jesus’s name^(C) had become well known. Some^[a] said, “John the Baptist^(D) has been raised from the dead,^(E) and that’s why miraculous powers^(F) are at work^(G) in him.” ¹⁵ But others said, “He’s Elijah.”^(H) Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”^(I)

¹⁶ When Herod^(J) heard of it, he said, “John,^(K) the one I beheaded, has been raised!” ^(L)

¹⁷ For^(M) Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain^(N) him in prison on account of Herodias,^(O) his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.^{(P) 18} John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful^(Q) for you to have your brother’s wife.”^{(R) 19} So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill^(S) him. But she could not, ²⁰ because Herod feared^(T) John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous^(U) and holy^(V) man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,^[b](W) and yet he liked to listen to him.^(X)

²¹ An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet^(Y) for his nobles,^(Z) military commanders,^(AA) and the leading men of Galilee.^{(AB) 22} When Herodias’s own daughter^[c] came in and danced,^(AC) she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ He promised her with an^(AD) oath:^(AE) “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”^(AF)

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

“John the Baptist’s^(AG) head,” she said.

²⁵ At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s^(AH) head on a platter^(AI) immediately.” ²⁶ Although the king was deeply distressed,^(AJ) because of his oaths^(AK) and the guests^[d] he did not want to refuse^(AL) her. ²⁷ The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When John’s disciples^(AM) heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.^(AN)