Old/New Testament
6 On that night the king could not sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
3 And the king said, “What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?” Then said the king’s servants who ministered unto him, “There is nothing done for him.”
4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 And the king’s servants said unto him, “Behold, Haman standeth in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”
6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, “What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?”
7 And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delighteth to honor,
8 let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head.
9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man thereby whom the king delighteth to honor; and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor!’”
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew who sitteth at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.”
11 Then Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor!”
12 And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hastened to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, “If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.”
14 And while they were yet talking with him, the king’s chamberlains came and hastened to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.
7 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is thy petition, Queen Esther? And it shall be granted thee. And what is thy request? And it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.”
3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, “If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain and to perish. But if we had been sold as bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could not compensate for the king’s damage.”
5 Then King Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he, who dared presume in his heart to do so?”
6 And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.” Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
7 And the king, arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath, went into the palace garden; and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8 Then the king returned from the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine, and Haman had fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, “Will he force the queen also before me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, “Behold also the gallows fifty cubits high which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him thereon!”
10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
8 On that day did King Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was unto her.
2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet and besought him with tears to put away the wickedness of Haman the Agagite and his plot that he had devised against the Jews.
4 Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,
5 and said, “If it please the king and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”
7 Then King Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring may no man reverse.”
9 Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded, unto the Jews and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof and unto every people in their language, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.
10 And he wrote in King Ahasuerus’ name and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries.
11 Therein the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to stand for their life” to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey
12 upon one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So the posts who rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at the palace at Shushan.
15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold and with a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.
17 And in every province and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
6 And in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, “It is not fitting that we should leave the Word of God to serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, look ye out among you for seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.”
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor, and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,
6 whom they set before the apostles. And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain from the synagogue which is called the Synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and those of Cilicia and of Asia, and they disputed with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
11 Then they suborned men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and came upon him and caught him, and brought him to the council.
13 And they set up false witnesses who said, “This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
15 And all who sat on the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.