Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man; preserve me from the man of violence.

² Who devise evil in their heart; they are continually gathered together for war.

³ They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

⁴ Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the man of violence, who have purposed to overthrow my steps.

⁵ The proud have hid a snare for me and cords; they have spread a net; on the path they have set snares for me. Selah.

⁶ I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

⁷ O GOD the Lord, the strength of my saving health, cover thou my head in the day of battle.

⁸ ¶ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked thought lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

⁹ As for the head of those that compass me about, let the perversion of their own lips cover them.

¹⁰ Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, into deep pits, that they not rise up again.

¹¹ The man with an evil tongue shall not be established in the earth; evil shall hunt the man of violence to overthrow him.

¹² I know that the LORD will effect the judgment of the poor and the judgment of the destitute.

¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

5 ¶ Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house; and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

² And it was so, when the king saw Esther, the queen, standing in the court, that she had grace in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the sceptre.

³ Then the king said unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be given thee, even to the half of the kingdom.

⁴ And Esther answered, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.

⁵ Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste that he may do as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

⁶ And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee. What is thy request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

⁷ Then answered Esther and said, My petition and my request is:

⁸ If I have found grace in the sight of the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has commanded.

⁹ ¶ Then Haman went forth that day joyful and with a glad heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up nor move for him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself, and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

¹¹ And Haman told them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his sons and all the things in which the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes and slaves of the king.

¹² Haman said, moreover, Even Esther, the queen, let no one come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself, and tomorrow I am also invited by her with the king.

¹³ Yet all this avails me nothing so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king’s gate.

¹⁴ Then said Zeresh, his wife, and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows {Heb. stake} be made fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged upon it; then go in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.

¹⁸ ¶ Little children, it is the last hour, and as ye have heard that the antichrist comes, likewise there are also beginning to be many antichrists, by which we know that it is the last time.

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but this happened that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

²⁰ ¶ But ye have the anointing of the Holy One, and ye know all things.

²¹ I have not written unto you as if ye ignore the truth, but as unto those that know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

²² Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This same is antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

²³ Whosoever denies the Son, the same does not have the Father. Whosoever confesses the Son, has the Father also.

²⁴ Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. For if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall abide in you, ye also shall continue to abide in the Son and in the Father.

²⁵ And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life.