Old/New Testament

1 Now it came to pass in the days of ^[a]Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces), ² that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the ^[b]palace, ³ in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him; ⁴ when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days. ⁵ And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. ⁶ There were hangings of ^[c]white cloth, of ^[d]green, and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement ^[e]of red, and white, and yellow, and black marble. ⁷ And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the ^[f]bounty of the king. ⁸ And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.

⁹ Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. ¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven ^[g]chamberlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, ¹¹ to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on. ¹² But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

¹³ Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment; ¹⁴ and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom), ¹⁵ What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? ¹⁶ And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. ¹⁷ For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. ¹⁸ And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen ^[h]say the like unto all the king’s princes. So will there arise ^[i]much contempt and wrath. ¹⁹ If it please the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, ^[j]that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate ^[k]unto another that is better than she. ²⁰ And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small. ²¹ And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: ²² for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.

2 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. ² Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: ³ and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of ^[l]Hegai the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them; ⁴ and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

⁵ There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, ⁶ who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with ^[m]Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. ⁷ And he ^[n]brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

⁸ So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. ⁹ And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with her portions, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of the king’s house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women. ¹⁰ Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known. ¹¹ And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.

¹² Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women), ¹³ then in this wise came the maiden unto the king: Whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house. ¹⁴ In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name. ¹⁵ Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

¹⁶ So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. ¹⁷ And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a ^[o]release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the ^[p]bounty of the king.

¹⁹ And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. ²⁰ Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. ²¹ In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the threshold, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. ²² And the thing became known to Mordecai, who showed it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai’s name. ²³ And when inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

5 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, ² and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to ^[a]lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? ⁴ While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. ⁵ And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. ⁶ And the ^[b]young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.

⁷ And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. ⁸ And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much. ⁹ But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. ¹⁰ And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. ¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.

¹² And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people: and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s ^[c]porch. ¹³ But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them; ^14 [d]and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women: ¹⁵ insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and ^[e]couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them. ¹⁶ And there also came together the multitude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

¹⁷ But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, ¹⁸ and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward. ¹⁹ But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life. ²¹ And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.