Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

124 If the LORD had not been 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 would have swallowed us up quickly when their wrath was kindled against us.

⁴ Then, the waters had drowned us; the stream had gone over our soul:

⁵ Then, the swelling waters had gone over our soul.

⁶ Praise the LORD, Who has not given us as a prey to their teeth!

⁷ Our soul has escaped, even as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken and we are delivered.

⁸ Our help is in the Name of the LORD, Who has made Heaven and Earth. A song of degrees

3 After these things, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and exalted him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.

² And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed their knees and paid homage to Haman (for the king had so commanded concerning him). But Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage.

³ Then, the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s commandment?”

⁴ And even though they spoke daily to him, he would not listen. Therefore, they told Haman, to see how Mordecai’s words would stand (for he had told them that he was a Jew).

⁵ And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow to him, nor did he pay homage to him, then Haman was full of anger.

⁶ Now, he thought it wasn’t enough just to lay hands on Mordecai. And because they had told him Mordecai was a Jew, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even all the people of Mordecai.

⁷ In the first month (that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus), they cast Pur (that is, a lot) before Haman—every day of every month—until the twelfth month (that is the month Adar).

⁸ Then, Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a people, scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom. And their laws are different from all other people; and they do not observe the king’s laws. Therefore, it is not to the king’s profit to put up with them.

⁹ “If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those who are in charge of this business, to bring it into the king’s treasury.”

¹⁰ Then the king took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ adversary.

¹¹ And the king said to Haman, “Let the silver and the people be yours to do with as it pleases you.”

¹² Then, on the thirteenth day of the first month, the king’s scribes were called. And all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s officers and to the captains who were over every province and to the rulers of every people, and to every province according to its writing and to every people according to their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s ring.

¹³ And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces: to root out, to kill and to destroy all the Jews— both young and old, children and women—on one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (which is the month Adar) and to take the plunder as a possession.

¹⁴ The contents of the writing was that there should be given a commandment in all provinces, and published to all people, that they should be ready for that day.

¹⁵ And the couriers, compelled by the king’s commandment, went forth. And the commandment was given in the palace at Shushan. And the king and Haman sat, drinking. But the city of Shushan was in confusion.

¹³ “You are the salt of the Earth. But if the salt has lost his savor, how shall it be salted? It is thereafter good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trampled underfoot by man.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

¹⁵ “Nor does anyone light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the house.

¹⁶ “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them.

¹⁸ “For truly I say to you, until Heaven and Earth perish, not one jot or one tittle of the Law shall escape, till all things are fulfilled.

¹⁹ “Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least Commandments, and teach man so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall observe and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

²⁰ “For I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.