¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, ^(A)and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

^8 (A)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly ^(B)I will rather boast in my infirmities, ^(C)that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

A Hymn of Praise

12 And ^(A)in that day you will say:

² that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and ^(A)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

¹⁹ Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar ^(A)with gladness and feasting, ^(B)as a holiday, and for ^(C)sending presents to one another.