Psalm 138

Of David.

⁷ In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur^(A) (that is, the lot^(B)) 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.^(C)

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^(D) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey^(E) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.^{(F) 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.”^(G)

¹⁰ So the king took his signet ring^(H) 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^(I) 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^(J) 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^(K)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,^(L) and to plunder^(M) 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.^(N)

¹⁵ The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.^(O) The king and Haman sat down to drink,^(P) but the city of Susa was bewildered.^(Q)

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^(A) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^(B) which God did among you through him,^(C) as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^(D) and you, with the help of wicked men,^[a] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^{(E) 24} But God raised him from the dead,^(F) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^{(G) 25} David said about him:

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites,^(J) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(K) David died and was buried,^(L) and his tomb is here^(M) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(N) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{(O) 32} God has raised this Jesus to life,^(P) and we are all witnesses^(Q) of it. ³³ Exalted^(R) to the right hand of God,^(S) he has received from the Father^(T) the promised Holy Spirit^(U) and has poured out^(V) what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(X) and Messiah.”^(Y)