Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A song by David for going up to worship.
124 “If the Lord had not been on our side …”
(Israel should repeat this.)
2 “If the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger exploded against us.
4 Then the floodwaters would have swept us away.
An ⌞overflowing⌟ stream would have washed us away.
5 Then raging water would have washed us away.”
6 Thank the Lord, who did not let them sink their teeth into us.
7 We escaped like a bird caught in a hunter’s trap.
The trap was broken, and we escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Queen Vashti Disobeys King Xerxes
1 In the days of Xerxes the following events took place. This was the same Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Sudan. 2 At the time when King Xerxes sat on the royal throne in the fortress of Susa, 3 he held a banquet in the third year of his reign. The banquet was for all his officials and advisers, that is, the military officers of the Persians and Medes, the nobles and officials of the provinces who had access to him. 4 He showed them the enormous wealth of his kingdom and the costly splendor of his greatness for many days, 180 to be exact. 5 When those days were over, the king held a banquet lasting seven days. This banquet was held in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace for all people in the fortress of Susa, whatever their rank.
6 The garden had white and violet linen curtains. These curtains were attached to silver rods and marble pillars by cords made of white and purple fine linen. Gold and silver couches were on a mosaic pavement of purple rock, white marble, pearl-like stone, and black marble. 7 People drank from golden cups. No two cups were alike. The king also provided plenty of royal wine out of his royal generosity. 8 The drinking followed this rule: Drink as you please. (The king had ordered all the waiters in his palace to let everyone do as he pleased.)
9 Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women at the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 On the seventh day when the king was drunk on wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served under King Xerxes, 11 to bring Queen Vashti in front of the king, wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show the people, especially the officials, her beauty, because she was very attractive. 12 But Queen Vashti refused the king’s command that the eunuchs delivered to her. As a result, the king became very angry, and his rage burned inside him.
13 Now, the king usually asked for advice from all the experts in royal decrees and decisions, 14 from those closest to him—Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These seven officials of the Persians and Medes had access to the king and held the highest rank in the kingdom. The king asked these wise men who knew the times,[a] 15 “According to the royal decrees, what must we do with Queen Vashti since she did not obey King Xerxes’ command, which the eunuchs delivered?”
16 Then Memucan spoke up in the presence of the king and the officials, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the officials and all the people in every province of King Xerxes. 17 The news of what the queen has done will spread to all women, and they will despise their husbands. They will say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought to him, but she would not come.’ 18 Today the wives of the officials in Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will talk back to all the king’s officials. There will be contempt and short tempers. 19 If it pleases you, Your Majesty, issue a royal decree. It should be recorded in the decrees of the Persians and Medes, never to be repealed, that Vashti may never again appear in front of King Xerxes. Furthermore, Your Majesty, you should give her royal position to another woman who is more worthy than she. 20 When you issue your decree, your whole kingdom, great as it is, will hear it. Then all the wives will honor their husbands, regardless of their status.”
21 The king and his officials approved of this, and so the king did as Memucan suggested.
13 After they found out that Peter and John had no education or special training, they were surprised to see how boldly they spoke. They realized that these men had been with Jesus. 14 When they saw the man who was healed standing with Peter and John, they couldn’t say anything against the two apostles. 15 So they ordered Peter and John to leave the council room and began to discuss the matter among themselves. 16 They said, “What should we do to these men? Clearly, they’ve performed a miracle that everyone in Jerusalem knows about. We can’t deny that. 17 So let’s threaten them. Let’s tell them that they must never speak to anyone about the one named Jesus. Then the news about the miracle that they have performed will not spread any further among the people.”
18 They called Peter and John and ordered them never to teach about Jesus or even mention his name.
19 Peter and John answered them, “Decide for yourselves whether God wants people to listen to you rather than to him. 20 We cannot stop talking about what we’ve seen and heard.”
21 The authorities threatened them even more and then let them go. Since all the people were praising God for what had happened, the authorities couldn’t find any way to punish Peter and John. 22 (The man who was healed by this miracle was over 40 years old.)
The Apostles and Other Believers Pray for God’s Help
23 When Peter and John were released, they went to their own people and told them everything the chief priests and leaders had said. 24 When they heard this, they were united and loudly prayed to God, “Master, you made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, who spoke through your servant David (our ancestor),
‘Why do the nations act arrogantly?
Why do their people devise useless plots?
26 Kings take their stand.
Rulers make plans together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.’
27 “In this city Herod and Pontius Pilate made plans together with non-Jewish people and the people of Israel. They made their plans against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 Through your will and power, they did everything that you had already decided should be done.
29 “Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly. 30 Show your power by healing, performing miracles, and doing amazing things through the power and the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 When they had finished praying, their meeting place shook. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s word boldly.
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