²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts.

^3 (A)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴ but let your adorning be ^(B)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

²⁹ yet I tell you, ^(A)even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

⁴ Now John wore ^(A)a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was ^(B)locusts and ^(C)wild honey.

¹⁵ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king ^(A)in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown^[a] and ^(B)a robe of fine linen and purple, ^(C)and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

Esther Prepares a Banquet

5 ^(A)On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in ^(B)the inner court of the king's palace, in front of the king's quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace.

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.

¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti before the king with ^(A)her royal crown,^[a] in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at.

³ in the third year of his reign ^(A)he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him,