Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A song to sing as we climb.

David wrote this song.^[a]

Queen Vashti does not obey the king

1 These things happened when King Xerxes ruled. He was the king who ruled over 127 regions, from India to Ethiopia. ² King Xerxes lived in the capital, the city of Susa. ³ During the third year that he ruled, he gave a big feast for his leaders and officers. The soldiers from the army of Persia and Media came to the feast. The rulers and leaders of the regions in the kingdom also came.

⁴ The feast continued for 180 days. King Xerxes wanted to show everyone how rich and powerful he was. He wanted to show that he was a great king. ⁵ When this feast finished, he gave another feast for everyone who lived in Susa. It was for people who were important, and for ordinary people as well. The feast continued for seven days. It was in part of the garden of the king's palace. ⁶ The gardens had curtains made of expensive white linen and purple material. They hung from silver rings on white stone pillars. White and purple strings held the curtains. There were seats made from gold and silver. The floor had many kinds of valuable stones to make it beautiful.

⁷ People at the feast drank from gold cups. Each cup was different. The king gave plenty of his own wine to everyone to drink. ⁸ Everyone could drink as much wine as they wanted. The king told his officers to give each person what they wanted, no more and no less.

⁹ At the same time, the king's wife, Queen Vashti, gave a feast for all the women in the palace.^[a]

¹⁰ On the seventh day of the feast, King Xerxes was feeling happy, because he had drunk so much wine. He had seven eunuchs who served him in the palace. Their names were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas. ¹¹ He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him. He said that she must wear her royal crown. He wanted to show everyone at his feast how beautiful his queen was. She was a very beautiful woman. ¹² The eunuchs told Queen Vashti what the king had commanded. But she refused to go to him. This made the king very angry.

¹³ The king spoke to his wise advisors about what had happened. These men understood the laws and customs of Persia. When something like this happened, the king would ask them what he should do. ¹⁴ The seven advisors who were often with the king were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan. These men were the most important officers in the kingdom.

¹⁵ The king asked them, ‘What should we do with Queen Vashti? What does our law say about this? The eunuchs took my message to her, but she did not obey my command. And I am the king!’

¹⁶ One of the advisors, Memukan, replied to the king and the other officers. He said, ‘Queen Vashti has not only done something wrong against you, the king. She has also done a wrong thing against all the officers and all the people too. That is all the men who live in your kingdom. ¹⁷ When other women hear about this, they will not obey their own husbands. All the women will say, “Queen Vashti did not obey her husband, King Xerxes. When he told her to come to him, she refused to do it!” ¹⁸ Everywhere in Persia and Media, the wives of the king's officers will know what Queen Vashti has done. From today, they will refuse to obey their husbands. They will no longer respect their husbands, and the men will be very angry.

¹⁹ So we suggest this, if you agree as king. You should give a royal command. It should become one of the laws of Persia and Media, so that nobody can change it. This law must say that Vashti must never see you again. Then you should find a woman who deserves to be queen more than Vashti. ²⁰ You must send this command to everyone in your great kingdom. When people know about this law, all the women will respect their husbands. They will obey them, whether they are important people or ordinary people.’

²¹ The king and his officers liked this idea. So the king did as Memukan had said.

¹³ The Jewish leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid of them. They also knew that they were not special people. They had not been to any school.^[a] So the leaders were very surprised about how Peter and John spoke. They understood that Peter and John had been friends with Jesus.

¹⁴ The man who was now well stood in front of the Jewish leaders. They could see that his legs had become strong again. So they could not say anything against Peter and John. ¹⁵ They told Peter and John to go out of the room where the leaders were meeting. Then they talked together to decide what they should do. ¹⁶ ‘What should we do with these men?’ they said. ‘Everyone who lives in Jerusalem knows about this miracle. They know that Peter and John did a great thing for that man. So we cannot say that they did not do it. ¹⁷ But we do not want any more people to know what has happened. So we must say to these men, “You must stop using the name of Jesus. You must stop teaching people about him.” ’^[b]

¹⁸ Then the Jewish leaders told Peter and John to come back into the room. They said to them, ‘You must not use the authority of Jesus to teach people any more. You must not speak about him.’ ¹⁹ Then Peter and John replied to the leaders, ‘What do you think God wants us to do? Should we obey you? Or should we obey God? You decide! ²⁰ We know what is right. We must continue to speak about these things. We must tell people about the things that we have seen and heard.’

²¹ The Jewish leaders were angry. They told Peter and John that they must obey them. Then they let Peter and John go free. All the people there were praising God because of the miracle. So the leaders could not decide how to punish Peter and John. ²² The man who became well because of this miracle was more than 40 years old.

The group of believers pray to God

²³ After the Jewish leaders let them go free, Peter and John went back to the group of believers. They told them what the leaders of the priests and the important Jews had said. ²⁴ The believers listened to what Peter and John told them. Then they all prayed together. They said to God, ‘You are the Lord who rules over everything. You made the sky, the earth and the sea. You also made everything that is in them. ²⁵ Our ancestor, King David, was your servant. You sent your Holy Spirit to him so that he spoke your message. You said through him,^[c]

²⁷ Lord God, it has now happened like that. Herod and Pontius Pilate have met together here in Jerusalem. They met with Israelite people and with people of other nations. Together they made plans to kill your holy servant, Jesus. He is the one that you chose to be your Messiah. ²⁸ But you are powerful. These men did only what you said would happen. You had already decided on these events. ²⁹ Lord God, you know that the Jewish leaders want to punish Peter and John. We are your servants. Please help us not to be afraid. Help us to speak your message to people without fear. ³⁰ Show people that you are strong. Cause sick people to become well. Do other powerful things to show that you are God. It is the authority of your holy servant Jesus that will make these things happen.’

³¹ The believers finished praying. The house where they were meeting together shook. God filled them all with his Holy Spirit. That made them very brave and they spoke God's message clearly to people.