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John 9-10
English Standard Version
John 9-10
English Standard Version
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, (A)“Rabbi, (B)who sinned, (C)this man or (D)his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but (E)that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must (F)work the works of him who sent me (G)while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, (H)I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, (I)he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. (J)Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in (K)the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and (L)came back seeing.
8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, (M)“Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, (N)“The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 (O)Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 (P)So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not (Q)from God, (R)for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, (S)“How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And (T)there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, (U)“He is a prophet.”
18 (V)The Jews[a] did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things (W)because they feared the Jews, for (X)the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should (Y)confess Jesus[b] to be Christ, (Z)he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, (AA)“He is of age; ask him.”
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, (AB)“Give glory to God. We know that (AC)this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I (AD)was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, (AE)“I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but (AF)we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, (AG)we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is (AH)an amazing thing! (AI)You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that (AJ)God does not listen to sinners, but (AK)if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 (AL)If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, (AM)“You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they (AN)cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in (AO)the Son of Man?”[c] 36 He answered, (AP)“And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and (AQ)it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, (AR)“For judgment I came into this world, (AS)that those who do not see may see, and (AT)those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, (AU)“Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, (AV)you would have no guilt;[d] but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
I Am the Good Shepherd
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 (AW)A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus (AX)used with them, but they (AY)did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (AZ)I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, (BA)he will be saved and will go in and out and (BB)find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and (BC)kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 (BD)I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd (BE)lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is (BF)a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (BG)leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and (BH)scatters them. 13 He flees because (BI)he is a hired hand and (BJ)cares nothing for the sheep. 14 (BK)I am the good shepherd. (BL)I know my own and (BM)my own know me, 15 (BN)just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and (BO)I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And (BP)I have other sheep that are not of this fold. (BQ)I must bring them also, and (BR)they will listen to my voice. So there will be (BS)one flock, (BT)one shepherd. 17 (BU)For this reason the Father loves me, (BV)because (BW)I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 (BX)No one takes it from me, but (BY)I lay it down (BZ)of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and (CA)I have authority to take it up again. (CB)This charge I have received from my Father.”
19 (CC)There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, (CD)“He has a demon, and (CE)is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. (CF)Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
I and the Father Are One
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, (CG)in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are (CH)the Christ, (CI)tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. (CJ)The works that I do (CK)in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but (CL)you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 (CM)My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 (CN)I give them eternal life, and (CO)they will never perish, and (CP)no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, (CQ)who has given them to me,[e] (CR)is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of (CS)the Father's hand. 30 (CT)I and the Father are one.”
31 (CU)The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but (CV)for blasphemy, because you, being a man, (CW)make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in (CX)your Law, (CY)‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be (CZ)broken— 36 do you say of him whom (DA)the Father consecrated and (DB)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because (DC)I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 (DD)If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, (DE)even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that (DF)the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 (DG)Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place (DH)where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but (DI)everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And (DJ)many believed in him there.
Footnotes
John 9-10
New International Version
John 9-10
New International Version
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) 4 As long as it is day,(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)
6 After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.(J)
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”(L)
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.(M) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(N) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”(O)
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(P) So they were divided.(Q)
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”(R)
18 They(S) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(T) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(U) of the synagogue.(V) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(W)
24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”(X) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”(Y)
25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He answered, “I have told you already(Z) and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!(AA) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(AB)
30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.(AC) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(AD) he could do nothing.”
34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;(AE) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.(AF)
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe(AG) in the Son of Man?”(AH)
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”(AI)
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”(AJ)
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.(AK)
39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment(AL) I have come into this world,(AM) so that the blind will see(AN) and those who see will become blind.”(AO)
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”(AP)
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.(AQ)
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(AR) 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(AS) 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(AT) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(AU) 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(AV) 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech,(AW) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(AX)
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(AY) the gate(AZ) for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me(BA) are thieves and robbers,(BB) but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[b] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(BC) and have it to the full.(BD)
11 “I am(BE) the good shepherd.(BF) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(BG) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(BH) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd;(BI) I know my sheep(BJ) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(BK)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(BL) 16 I have other sheep(BM) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(BN) and one shepherd.(BO) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(BP)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(BQ) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(BR)
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(BS) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(BT) and raving mad.(BU) Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(BV) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(BW)
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[c] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.(BX) 24 The Jews(BY) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”(BZ)
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(CA) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(CB) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(CC) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(CD) and they follow me.(CE) 28 I give them eternal life,(CF) and they shall never perish;(CG) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(CH) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(CI) is greater than all[d];(CJ) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(CK)
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(CL) 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”(CM)
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(CN) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[e]?(CO) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(CP) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(CQ)— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(CR) as his very own(CS) and sent into the world?(CT) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(CU) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(CV) 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”(CW) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(CX) but he escaped their grasp.(CY)
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(CZ) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,(DA) all that John said about this man was true.”(DB) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(DC)
Footnotes
- John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.
- John 10:9 Or kept safe
- John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
- John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
- John 10:34 Psalm 82:6
Esther 3-4
English Standard Version
Esther 3-4
English Standard Version
Haman Plots Against the Jews
3 After these things King Ahasuerus (A)promoted Haman (B)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (C)and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. (D)But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. 3 Then the king's servants who were (E)at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress (F)the king's command?” 4 And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that (G)Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was (H)filled with fury. 6 But he disdained[a] to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy[b] all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (I)they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is (J)the month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. (K)Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents[c] of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” 10 (L)So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman (M)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (N)the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
12 (O)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's (P)satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, (Q)to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written (R)in the name of King Ahasuerus (S)and sealed with the king's signet ring. 13 Letters were sent (T)by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction (U)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, (V)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, (W)and to plunder their goods. 14 (X)A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 (Y)The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, (Z)but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.
Esther Agrees to Help the Jews
4 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes (AA)and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, (AB)with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them (AC)lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate, 7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, (AD)and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him (AE)a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction,[d] that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him[e] on behalf of her people. 9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside (AF)the inner court without being called, (AG)there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one (AH)to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for (AI)three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, (AJ)and if I perish, I perish.”[f] 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:6 Hebrew disdained in his eyes
- Esther 3:6 Or annihilate
- Esther 3:9 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
- Esther 4:8 Or annihilation
- Esther 4:8 Hebrew and seek from before his face
- Esther 4:16 Hebrew if I am destroyed, then I will be destroyed
Esther 3-4
New International Version
Esther 3-4
New International Version
Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews
3 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(A) elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(B) 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.(C) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.(D) 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(E) to destroy(F) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(G) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(H) (that is, the lot(I)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(J)
8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(K) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(L) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(M) 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”(N)
10 So the king took his signet ring(O) from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”
12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language(P) of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed(Q) with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews(R)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(S) and to plunder(T) their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.(U)
15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(V) The king and Haman sat down to drink,(W) but the city of Susa was bewildered.(X)
Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help
4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes,(Y) put on sackcloth and ashes,(Z) and went out into the city, wailing(AA) loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate,(AB) 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.(AC) 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(AD) the king has but one law:(AE) that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter(AF) 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(AG) at this time, relief(AH) and deliverance(AI) 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?”(AJ)
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast(AK) 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.”(AL)
17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
- Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons
Psalm 130-131
English Standard Version
Psalm 130-131
English Standard Version
My Soul Waits for the Lord
A Song of (A)Ascents.
130 Out of (B)the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
(C)Let your ears be attentive
to (D)the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O Lord, should (E)mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (F)stand?
4 But with you there is (G)forgiveness,
(H)that you may be feared.
5 I (I)wait for the Lord, (J)my soul waits,
and (K)in his word I hope;
6 my soul (L)waits for the Lord
more than (M)watchmen for (N)the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, (O)hope in the Lord!
For (P)with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will (Q)redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul
A Song of (R)Ascents. Of David.
131 O Lord, my heart is not (S)lifted up;
my eyes are not (T)raised too high;
I do not (U)occupy myself with things
too great and (V)too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned (W)child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 (X)O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 130-131
New International Version
Psalm 130-131
New International Version
Psalm 130
A song of ascents.
1 Out of the depths(A) I cry to you,(B) Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.(C)
Let your ears be attentive(D)
to my cry for mercy.(E)
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?(F)
4 But with you there is forgiveness,(G)
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.(H)
5 I wait for the Lord,(I) my whole being waits,(J)
and in his word(K) I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen(L) wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.(M)
7 Israel, put your hope(N) in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love(O)
and with him is full redemption.(P)
8 He himself will redeem(Q) Israel
from all their sins.(R)
Psalm 131
A song of ascents. Of David.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.