Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
16 But I call on Elohim,
and Yahweh saves me.
17 Morning, noon, and night I complain and groan,
and he listens to my voice.
18 With his peace, he will rescue my soul
from the war waged against me,
because there are many soldiers fighting against me.
19 El will listen.
The one who has sat enthroned from the beginning
will deal with them. Selah
They never change. They never fear Elohim.
20 My best friend has betrayed his friends.
He has broken his solemn promise.
21 His speech is smoother than butter,
but there is war in his heart.
His words are more soothing than oil,
but they are like swords ready to attack.
22 Turn your burdens over to Yahweh,
and he will take care of you.
He will never let the righteous person stumble.
23 But you, O Elohim, will throw wicked people into the deepest pit.
Bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days.
But I will trust you.
Esther Brings Her Request to the King
5 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the courtyard of the king’s palace, facing the king’s throne room. The king was sitting on the royal throne inside the palace, facing the entrance.
2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the entrance, she won his favor. So the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand to Esther. Esther went up to him and touched the top of the scepter.
3 Then the king asked her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted to you.”
4 So Esther answered, “If it pleases you, Your Majesty, come today with Haman to a dinner I have prepared for you.”
5 The king replied, “Bring Haman right away, and do whatever Esther asks.” So the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
6 While they were drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “What is your request? It will be granted to you. What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted.”
7 Esther answered, “My request? What would I like? 8 Your Majesty, come with Haman to a dinner I will prepare for you. And tomorrow I will answer you, Your Majesty. If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, Your Majesty, may you then grant my request and do what I would like.”
Meanwhile, Haman Is Disgraced because of Mordecai
9 When Haman left that day, he was happy and feeling good. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, neither getting up nor trembling in his presence, Haman was furious with Mordecai. 10 However, Haman controlled himself. He went home and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
11 Then Haman began to relate in detail to them how very rich he was, the many sons he had, and all about how the king promoted him to a position over the officials and the king’s advisers. 12 Haman went on to say, “What’s more, Queen Esther allowed no one except me to come with the king to the dinner she had prepared. And again tomorrow I am her invited guest together with the king. 13 Yet, all this is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, 75 feet high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai’s dead body hung on it. Then go with the king to the dinner in good spirits.”
Haman liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.
16 Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you eat or drink or about the observance of annual holy days, New Moon Festivals, or weekly worship days. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow belongs to Christ.
18 Let no one who delights in false humility and the worship of angels tell you that you don’t deserve a prize. Such a person, whose sinful mind fills him with arrogance, gives endless details of the visions he has seen. 19 He doesn’t hold on to Christ, the head. Christ makes the whole body grow as God wants it to, through support and unity given by the joints and ligaments.
20 If you have died with Christ to the world’s way of doing things, why do you let others tell you how to live? It’s as though you were still under the world’s influence. 21 People will tell you, “Don’t handle this! Don’t taste or touch that!” 22 All of these things deal with objects that are only used up anyway. 23 These things look like wisdom with their self-imposed worship, false humility, and harsh treatment of the body. But they have no value for holding back the constant desires of your corrupt nature.
Live as God’s People
3 Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above—where Christ holds the highest position.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.