Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
16 As for me, I shall (A)call upon God,
And the Lord will save me.
17 (B)Evening and (C)morning and at (D)noon, I will complain and moan,
And He will hear my voice.
18 He will (E)redeem my soul in peace [a]from the battle which is against me,
For they are (F)many who are aggressive toward me.
19 God will (G)hear and humiliate them—
Even the one (H)who [b]sits enthroned from ancient times— Selah
With whom there [c]is no change,
And who (I)do not fear God.
20 He has put forth his hands against (J)those who were at peace with him;
He has [d](K)violated his covenant.
21 His [e]speech was (L)smoother than butter,
But his heart was war;
His words were (M)softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn (N)swords.
Esther Plans a Banquet
5 Now it came about (A)on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood (B)in the inner courtyard of the king’s palace in front of the king’s [a]rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the [b]throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, (C)she obtained favor in his sight; and (D)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. 3 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? (E)Up to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” 4 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
5 Then the king said, “(F)Bring Haman quickly so that we may do [c]as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6 [d]As they drank their wine at the banquet, (G)the king said to Esther, “(H)What is your request, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your wish? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7 So Esther replied, “My request and my wish is: 8 (I)if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do [e]what I wish, may the king and Haman come to (J)the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do [f]as the king says.”
Haman’s Pride
9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai (K)at the king’s gate and (L)that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, and went to his house. But he [g]sent for his friends and his wife (M)Zeresh. 11 Then Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and his (N)many sons, and every occasion on which the king had honored him and how he had [h](O)promoted him above the officials and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one except me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and (P)tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 Yet all of this [i]does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at (Q)the king’s gate.” 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “(R)Have a wooden gallows [j]fifty cubits high made, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the [k]advice pleased Haman, so he had the wooden gallows made.
16 Therefore, no one is to [a](A)act as your judge in regard to (B)food and (C)drink, or in respect to a (D)festival or a (E)new moon, or a (F)Sabbath [b]day— 17 things which are only a (G)shadow of what is to come; but the [c]substance [d]belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps [e](H)defrauding you of your prize by (I)delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, [f]taking his stand on visions he has seen, [g](J)inflated without cause by his (K)fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to (L)the head, from whom (M)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and [h]ligaments, grows with a growth [i]which is from God.
20 (N)If you have died with Christ [j]to the (O)elementary principles of the world, (P)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to (Q)decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer (R)to things destined to perish [k]with use)—in accordance with the (S)commandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the [l]appearance of wisdom in [m](T)self-made religion and humility and (U)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against (V)fleshly indulgence.
Put On the New Self
3 Therefore, if you have been (W)raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, (X)seated at the right hand of God.
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