Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
124 The people of God, escaping a great peril, do acknowledge themselves to be delivered, not by their own force, but by the power of God. 4 They declare the greatness of the peril. 6 And praise the Name of God.
A song of degrees, or Psalm of David.
1 If the Lord had not been [a]on our side, (may Israel now say)
2 If the Lord had [not] been on our side, when men rose up against us,
3 They had then swallowed us up [b]quick, when their wrath was kindled against us.
4 Then the [c]waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul:
5 Then had the swelling waters gone over our soul.
6 Praised be the Lord, which hath not given us as a prey unto their teeth.
7 Our soul is escaped, even as a bird out of the [d]snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth.
Esther
1 3 King Ahasuerus maketh a royal feast. 12 Whereunto the Queen Vashti will not come. 19 For which cause she is divorced. 20 The King’s decree touching the pre-eminence of man.
1 In the days of [a]Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus that reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over an [b]hundred, and seven and twenty provinces.)
2 In those days when the king Ahasuerus [c]sat on his throne, which was in the palace of (A)Shushan,
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, even the power of Persia and Media, and to the captains and governors of the provinces which were before him,
4 That he might show the riches and glory of his kingdom, and the honor of his great majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were found in the palace of Shushan, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace,
6 Under an hanging of white, green, and blue cloths, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple, in silver rings, and pillars of marble: the [d]beds were of gold and of silver upon a pavement of porphyry, and marble and alabaster, and blue color.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, and changed vessel after vessel, and royal wine in abundance, according to the [e]power of the king.
8 And the drinking was by an order, none might [f]compel: for so the king had appointed unto all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9 ¶ The Queen Vashti made a feast also for the women in the royal house of King Ahasuerus.
10 Upon the [g]seventh day when the King was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs, (that served in the presence of king Ahasuerus)
11 To bring Queen Vashti before the king with the crown royal, that he might show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look upon.
12 But the Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s word, [h]which he had given in charge to the eunuchs: therefore the King was very angry, and his wrath kindled in him.
13 Then the King said to the wise men, [i]that knew the times (for so was the King’s manner towards all that knew the law and the judgment:
14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan the seven Princes of Persia, and Media, which saw the [j]King’s face, and sat the first in the kingdom.)
15 What shall we do unto the Queen Vashti according to the law, because she did not according to the word of the King Ahasuerus by the commission of the eunuchs?
16 Then Memucan answered before the king and the Princes, The Queen Vashti hath not only done [k]evil against the King, but against all the Princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
17 For the [l]act of the Queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their own eyes, and shall say, The King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the Queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 So shall the [m]Princesses of Persia and Media this day say unto all the King’s Princes, when they hear of the act of the Queen: thus shall there be much despitefulness and wrath.
19 If it please the King, let a royal decree proceed from him, and let it be written among the statutes of Persia and Media, (and let it not be transgressed) that Vashti come [n]no more before king Ahasuerus: and let the king give her royal estate unto her companion that is better than she.
20 And when the decree of the King which shall be made, shall be published throughout all his kingdom (though it be [o]great) all the women shall give their husbands honor, both great and small.
21 And this saying pleased the King and the Princes, and the King did according to the word of Memucan.
13 [a]Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were unlearned men and without [b]knowledge, they marveled, and knew them, that they had been with Jesus:
14 And beholding also the man which was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it.
15 Then they commanded them to go aside out of the Council, and [c]conferred among themselves,
16 [d]Saying, What shall we do to these men? for surely a manifest sign is done by them, and it is openly known to all them that dwell in Jerusalem: and we cannot deny it.
17 But that it be noised no farther among the people, let us threaten and charge them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this Name.
18 So they called them, and commanded them, that in no wise they should speak or teach in the Name of Jesus.
19 [e]But Peter and John answered unto them, and said, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather than God, judge ye.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
21 [f]So they threatened them, and let them go, and found nothing how to punish them, because of the people: for all men praised God for that which was done.
22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed.
23 [g]Then as soon as they were let go, they came to their fellows, and showed all that the high Priests and Elders had said unto them.
24 [h]And when they heard it, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou art the God which had made the heaven, and the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.
25 Which by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, (A)Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vain things?
26 The kings of the earth assembled, and the rulers came together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27 For doubtless, against thine holy Son Jesus, whom thou hadst anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the [i]people of Israel gathered themselves together.
28 To [j]do whatsoever [k]thine hand, and thy counsel had determined before to be done.
29 And now, O Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants with all boldness to speak thy word,
30 So that thou stretch forth thine hand that healing, and signs, and wonders may be done by the Name of thine holy Son Jesus.
31 [l]And when as they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God boldly.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.