Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Davidic Song of Ascents

Up to Jerusalem

The Jewish People Defeat Their Enemies

9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, when the king’s order and edict was about to be carried out, on the day when the enemies of the Jewish people expected to prevail over them, things were turned around so that the Jewish people themselves prevailed over those who hated them.

² The Jewish people assembled in their towns throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who intended to harm them, and no one could oppose them because all the people had come to fear the Jews.^{[a] 3} All the provincial officials, the regional authorities,^[b] the governors, and those doing the king’s work supported the Jewish people because the fear of Mordecai had come over^[c] them. ⁴ Indeed, Mordecai was a powerful^[d] official in the palace and his fame spread throughout the provinces. Indeed, the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.^[e]

⁵ The Jewish people struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did with their enemies as they pleased.

¹⁸ The Jewish people in Susa assembled on the thirteenth day and again on the fourteenth, and then rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and joy. ¹⁹ Therefore the Jewish people in the rural areas who live in unwalled towns make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for joy and feasting, and people send presents^[a] to one another.

Official Instructions for Celebrating Purim

²⁰ Mordecai wrote these instructions and sent letters to all the Jewish people in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, ²¹ establishing that they should celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar every year, ²² as the days on which the Jewish people enjoyed relief^[b] from their enemies. It was a month when things turned around for them, from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a holiday. They were to celebrate these days as days of feasting and joy, and they were to send presents^[c] to one another and gifts to the poor. ²³ So the Jewish people made a tradition^[d] out of what they had begun to do and of what Mordecai had written to them,

Fear God^(A)

⁴ “But I tell you, my friends, never be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can’t do anything more. ⁵ I’ll show you the one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the authority to throw you into hell^[a] after killing you. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him!

⁶ “Five sparrows are sold for two pennies, aren’t they? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Why, even all the hairs on your head have been counted! Stop being afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.”

Acknowledging the Messiah^(B)

⁸ “But I tell you, the Son of Man will acknowledge before God’s angels everyone who acknowledges me before people. ⁹ But whoever denies me before people will be denied before God’s angels. ¹⁰ Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven. ¹¹ When people^[b] bring you before synagogue leaders,^[c] rulers, or authorities, don’t worry about how you will defend yourselves or what^[d] you will say, ¹² because at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you are to say.”