Old/New Testament
6 That night, the king did not sleep. And he commanded that the Book of the Records be brought, and the Chronicles. And they were read before the king.
2 Then, it was found written what Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
3 Then the king said, “What honor and dignity has been given to Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants said, “Nothing.”
4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” (Now Haman had come into the inner court of the king’s house to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the tree that he had prepared for him).
5 And the king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”
6 And when Haman came in, the king said to him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king will honor?” Then Haman thought in his heart, “To whom would the king do honor more than to me?”
7 And Haman answered the king, “The man whom the king would honor,
8 “should be brought the royal apparel which the king used to wear, and the horse that the king used to ride on, with the crown royal set upon his head.
9 “And let the clothing and the horse be delivered by the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes. And let them dress the man whom the king will honor and have him ride upon the horse through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king will honor.’”
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the clothing and the horse, and do as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing be left out of all that you have spoken.”
11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and dressed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king will honor!”
12 And Mordecai came back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered.
13 And Haman told Zeresh, his wife, and all his friends, all that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh, his wife, said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him.”
14 And while they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came and quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
7 So, the king and Haman came to banquet with Queen Esther.
2 And the king repeated to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition, Queen Esther that it may be given to you? And what is your request? It shall be done, even up to the half of the kingdom.”
3 And Esther the Queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given to 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. If we were merely sold as servants and handmaids, I would have held my tongue, for it would not have been worth the king’s time.”
5 Then king Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he? And where is he who presumes to do this?”
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 arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath and went into the palace garden. But Haman stood up to beg Queen Esther for his life. For he saw that the king intended to do him harm.
8 And when the king came out of the palace garden into the house again, where they had been drinking wine, Haman had fallen upon the bed where Esther sat. Therefore, the King said, “Will he also force himself on the queen 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 eunuchs, said in the presence of the king, “Behold, a hanging tree still stands at Haman’s house, 75 feet high, which Haman had prepared for Mordecai, who spoke well of the king.” Then the King said, “Hang him on it.”
10 So they hanged Haman on the tree that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the King’s wrath was pacified.
8 That same day, King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. And Mordecai came before the king (for Esther had told him what he was to her).
2 And the king took off his ring which he had taken from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 And Esther spoke to the king again and fell down at his feet, weeping, and begged him to reverse the wickedness of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had imagined against the Jews.
4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. Then 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 is acceptable before the king, and I please him —let it be written that 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, may be revoked.
6 “For how can I suffer and see the evil that shall come to my people? Or how can I suffer and see the destruction of my kindred?”
7 And King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, whom they have hanged upon the tree, because he laid hands upon the Jews.
8 “Also, write for the Jews as you like, in the King’s name; and seal it with the King’s ring.” (for the writings written in the King’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be revoked)
9 At that same time, the king’s scribes were called, on the twenty-third day of the third month (that is, the month Sivan). And it was written according to all as Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the princes, and captains and rulers of the provinces which were from India to Ethiopia (a hundred and twenty-seven provinces), to every province according to its writing and to every people according to their speech, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.
10 And he wrote in King Ahasuerus’s name, and sealed it with the king’s ring. And he sent letters, by couriers on horseback and by riders of royal steeds.
11 In these, the king granted the Jews (in whatever cities they were) to gather themselves together and to stand for their life —to root out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and of the province that attacked them, both children and women, and to plunder their goods —
12 upon one day, in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (which is the month Adar).
13 The copy of the writing was to be given as a decree in all and every province, and published among all the people, so that the Jews would be ready for that day, to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So the couriers rode upon royal steeds and went forth with speed to execute the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan, the palace.
15 And Mordecai went out from 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 And to the Jews came light and joy and gladness, and honor.
17 Also, in all and every province, and in all and every city and place where the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was joy and gladness to the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
6 And in those days, as the number of the disciples grew, there arose murmuring of the Hellenists toward the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily ministry.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together, and said, “It is not acceptable that we should leave the Word of God to serve the tables.
3 “Therefore brothers, select from among you seven men of good report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint to this business.
4 “And we will give ourselves constantly 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 Nicolas (a proselyte from Antioch),
6 whom they set before the Apostles. And they prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 And the Word of God increased. And the number of the disciples was multiplied in Jerusalem greatly. And a great number of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 Now Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain ones out of the synagogue who are called ‘Freedmen’ – as well as Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and ones from Cilicia and Asia - and disputed with Stephen.
10 But they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
11 Then they incited men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God!”
12 Thus they moved the people and the elders, and the scribes. And running after him, caught him, and brought him to the Council.
13 And they set forth false witnesses, who said, “This man does not cease 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 ordinances which Moses gave us!”
15 And as all who sat in the Council looked steadfastly at him, they saw his face as the face of an angel.
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