Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

(A song by David for worship.)

Thanking the Lord for Victory

Queen Vashti Disobeys King Xerxes

1 ^1-2 (A) King Xerxes^[a] of Persia lived in his capital city of Susa^[b] and ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.^{[c] 3} During the third year of his rule, Xerxes gave a big dinner for all his officials and officers. The governors and leaders of the provinces were also invited, and even the commanders of the Persian and Median armies came. ⁴ For 180 days he showed off his wealth and spent a lot of money to impress his guests with the greatness of his kingdom.

⁵ At the end of this time, King Xerxes gave another dinner and invited everyone in the city of Susa, no matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven days in the beautiful palace gardens. ⁶ The area was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains tied back with purple linen cords that ran through silver rings fastened to marble columns. Couches of gold and silver rested on pavement that had all kinds of designs made from costly bright-colored stones and marble and mother-of-pearl.

⁷ The guests drank from gold cups, and each cup had a different design. The king was generous ⁸ and said to them, “Drink all you want!” Then he told his servants, “Keep their cups full.”

⁹ While the men were enjoying themselves, Queen Vashti gave the women a big dinner inside the royal palace.

¹⁰ By the seventh day, King Xerxes was feeling happy because of so much wine. And he asked his seven personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, ¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti to him. The king wanted her to wear her crown and let his people and his officials see how beautiful she was. ¹² The king's servants told Queen Vashti what he had said, but she refused to go to him, and this made him terribly angry.

^13-14 The king called in the seven highest officials of Persia and Media. They were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were very wise and understood all the laws and customs of the country, and the king always asked them what they thought about such matters.

¹⁵ The king said to them, “Queen Vashti refused to come to me when I sent my servants for her. What does the law say I should do about that?”

¹⁶ Then Memucan told the king and the officials:

Your Majesty, Queen Vashti has not only embarrassed you, but she has insulted your officials and everyone else in all the provinces.

¹⁷ The women in the kingdom will hear about this, and they will refuse to respect their husbands. They will say, “If Queen Vashti doesn't obey her husband, why should we?” ¹⁸ Before this day is over, the wives of the officials of Persia and Media will find out what Queen Vashti has done, and they will refuse to obey their husbands. They won't respect their husbands, and their husbands will be angry with them.

¹⁹ Your Majesty, if you agree, you should write for the Medes and Persians a law that can never be changed. This law would keep Queen Vashti from ever seeing you again. Then you could let someone who respects you be queen in her place.

²⁰ When the women in your great kingdom hear about this new law, they will respect their husbands, no matter if they are rich or poor.

²¹ King Xerxes and his officials liked what Memucan had said,

¹³ The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain these men had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ But they could not deny what had happened. The man who had been healed was standing there with the apostles.

¹⁵ The officials commanded them to leave the council room. Then the officials said to each other, ¹⁶ “What can we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows about this miracle, and we cannot say it didn't happen. ¹⁷ But to keep this thing from spreading, we will warn them never again to speak to anyone about the name of Jesus.” ¹⁸ So they called the two apostles back in and told them they must never, for any reason, teach anything about the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ Peter and John answered, “Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? ²⁰ We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard.”

^21-22 The officials could not find any reason to punish Peter and John. So they threatened them and let them go. The man who was healed by this miracle was more than 40 years old, and everyone was praising God for what had happened.

Peter and Others Pray for Courage

²³ As soon as Peter and John had been set free, they went back and told the others everything the chief priests and the leaders had said to them. ^24 (A) When the rest of the Lord's followers heard this, they prayed together and said:

Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. ^25 (B) And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say:

^27 (C) Here in Jerusalem, Herod^[a] and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Then they turned against your holy Servant^[b] Jesus, your chosen Messiah. ²⁸ They did what you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen.

²⁹ Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. ³⁰ Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant^[c] Jesus.

³¹ After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God's message.