Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 138
A Psalm of David.
1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I will sing Your praise.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple,
and praise Your name
for Your lovingkindness and for Your truth;
for You have exalted Your word
above all Your name.
3 On the day I called, You answered me,
and strengthened me in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5 Indeed, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 Though the Lord is exalted, yet He has concern for the lowly,
but the proud one He knows from a distance.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will preserve me;
You stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and Your right hand saves me.
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Mordecai Uncovers a Plot
19 At the second gathering of the virgins, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not yet disclosed her lineage or her people, since Mordecai had so commanded her. Esther followed the command of Mordecai just as she had when under his protection.
21 During those days when Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who served as keepers of the door, became angry and sought to attack King Ahasuerus. 22 But the matter became known to Mordecai, and he reported it to Queen Esther, and Esther reported it to the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 When the matter was investigated and confirmed, both men were hanged on the gallows, and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
Haman Plots to Destroy the Jews
3 After these things King Ahasuerus praised Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and promoted him, and set his seat above all the officials who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants, when they were at the king’s gate, bowed or paid homage to Haman since the king had commanded it. Mordecai, however, never bowed or paid homage.
3 So the king’s servants tending the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s commandment?” 4 Though they spoke to him daily, he never listened to them, so they reported it to Haman to see if the words of Mordecai would stand, for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed nor paid him homage, he was filled with rage. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on only Mordecai, since they had told him of the people of Mordecai. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the disciples (the number of people together was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit previously spoke by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became the guide to those who seized Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us and took part in this ministry.”
18 (Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity. And falling headlong, he burst asunder in the middle and all his organs spilled out. 19 It became known to all the residents of Jerusalem. So this field is called in their dialect Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
‘Let his habitation become desolate,
and let no one live in it,’[a]
and,
‘Let another take his office.’[b]
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.