Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 124

A Song of ^[a]Ascents. Of David.

¹ If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side—now may Israel say—

² If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side when men rose up against us,

³ Then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was kindled against us;

⁴ Then the waters would have overwhelmed us and swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

⁵ Then the proud waters would have gone over us.

⁶ Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth!

⁷ We are like a bird escaped from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!

⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

1 It was in the days of Ahasuerus [Xerxes], the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces.

² In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Shushan or Susa [the capital of the Persian Empire] in the palace or castle,

³ In the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his princes and his courtiers. The chief officers of the Persian and Median army and the nobles and governors of the provinces were there before him

⁴ While he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor and excellence of his majesty for many days, even 180 days.

⁵ And when these days were completed, the king made a feast for all the people present in Shushan the capital, both great and small, a seven-day feast in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

⁶ There were hangings of fine white cloth, of green and of blue [cotton], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings or rods and marble pillars. The couches of gold and silver rested on a [mosaic] pavement of porphyry, white marble, mother-of-pearl, and [precious] colored stones.

⁷ Drinks were served in different kinds of golden goblets, and there was royal wine in abundance, according to the liberality of the king.

⁸ And drinking was according to the law; no one was compelled to drink, for the king had directed all the officials of his palace to serve only as each guest desired.

⁹ Also Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who ministered to King Ahasuerus as attendants,

¹¹ To bring Queen Vashti before the king, with her royal crown, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to behold.

¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

¹³ Then the king spoke to the wise men who knew the times—for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were familiar with law and judgment—

¹⁴ Those next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who were in the king’s presence and held first place in the kingdom.

¹⁵ [He said] According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not done the bidding of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?

¹⁶ And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not only done wrong to the king but also to all the princes and to all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

¹⁷ For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, making their husbands contemptible in their eyes, since they will say, King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.

¹⁸ This very day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will be telling it to all the king’s princes. So contempt and wrath in plenty will arise.

¹⁹ If it pleases the king, let a royal command go forth from him and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and Medes, so that it may not be changed, that Vashti is to [be divorced and] come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.

²⁰ So when the king’s decree is made and proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, extensive as it is, all wives will give honor to their husbands, high and low.

²¹ This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did what Memucan proposed.

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴ And since they saw the man who had been cured standing there beside them, they could not contradict the fact or say anything in opposition.

¹⁵ But having ordered [the prisoners] to go aside out of the council [chamber], they conferred (debated) among themselves,

¹⁶ Saying, What are we to do with these men? For that an extraordinary miracle has been performed by (through) them is plain to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

¹⁷ But in order that it may not spread further among the people and the nation, let us warn and forbid them with a stern threat to speak any more to anyone in this name [or about this Person].

¹⁸ [So] they summoned them and imperatively instructed them not to converse in any way or teach at all in or about the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ But Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge).

²⁰ But we [ourselves] cannot help telling what we have seen and heard.

²¹ Then when [the rulers and council members] had further threatened them, they let them go, not seeing how they could secure a conviction against them because of the people; for everybody was praising and glorifying God for what had occurred.

²² For the man on whom this sign (miracle) of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

²³ After they were permitted to go, [the apostles] returned to their own [company] and told all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

²⁴ And when they heard it, lifted their voices together with one united mind to God and said, O Sovereign Lord, You are He Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them,^(A)

²⁵ Who by the mouth of our forefather David, Your servant and child, said through the Holy Spirit, Why did the heathen (Gentiles) become wanton and insolent and rage, and the people imagine and study and plan vain (fruitless) things [that will not succeed]?

²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand in array [for attack] and the rulers were assembled and combined together against the Lord and against His Anointed (Christ, the Messiah).^(B)

²⁷ For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel,^(C)

²⁸ To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur.

²⁹ And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly,

³⁰ While You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus.

³¹ And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.