Haman Plots Against the Jews

1 After these things King Ahasuerus ^qpromoted Haman ^rthe Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, ^sand advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. ^tBut Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were ^uat the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress ^vthe king’s command?” 4 And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that ^tMordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was ^wfilled with fury. 6 But he disdained¹ to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy² all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, ^xthey cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is ^ythe month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. ^zTheir laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not to the king’s profit to tolerate them. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents³ of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.” 10 ^aSo the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman ^bthe Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, ^cthe enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”

12 ^dThen the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king’s ^esatraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, ^fto every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written ^gin the name of King Ahasuerus ^hand sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent ⁱby couriers to all the king’s provinces with instruction ^jto destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, ^kin one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, ^land to plunder their goods. 14 ^mA copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 ⁱThe couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, ⁿbut the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.

Esther Agrees to Help the Jews

1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes ^oand put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, ^pwith fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them ^qlay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 When Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, 7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, ^rand the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him ^sa copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction,⁴ that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him⁵ on behalf of her people. 9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside ^tthe inner court without being called, ^uthere is but one law—to be put to death, except the one ^vto whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for ^wthree days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, ^xand if I perish, I perish.”⁶ 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Esther Prepares a Banquet

1 ^yOn the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in ^zthe inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, ^ashe won favor in his sight, ^band he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even ^cto the half of my kingdom.” 4 And Esther said, “If it please the king,⁷ let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. 6 ^dAnd as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, ^e“What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? ^cEven to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”⁸ 7 Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: 8 ^fIf I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king⁹ to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to ^gthe feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai

9 And Haman went out that day ^hjoyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai ⁱin the king’s gate, ^jthat he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and ^khis wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, ^lthe number of his sons, all the promotions with which ^mthe king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting ⁱat the king’s gate.” 14 Then ^khis wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ⁿ“Let a gallows¹⁰ fifty cubits¹¹ high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

O Lord, Be Gracious to Me

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by ^uthe lake of Gennesaret, 2 ^vand he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were ^wwashing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And ^xhe sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ^y“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, ^zwe toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, ^athey enclosed a large number of fish, and ^atheir nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. ^bAnd they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ^c“Depart from me, for ^dI am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”¹ 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, ^ethey left everything and followed him.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

12 While he was in one of the cities, ^fthere came a man full of leprosy.² And when he saw Jesus, he ^gfell on his face and begged him, “Lord, ^hif you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus³ stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him ⁱto tell no one, but “go and show ^jyourself to the priest, and ^kmake an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, ^lfor a proof to them.” 15 ^mBut now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But ⁿhe would withdraw to desolate places and ⁿpray.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and ^oteachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And ^pthe power of the Lord was with him to heal.⁴ 18 ^qAnd behold, some men were bringing ^ron a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on ^sthe roof and let him down with his bed ^tthrough the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And ^uwhen he saw their faith, he said, “Man, ^vyour sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks ^wblasphemies? ^xWho can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus ^yperceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that ^zthe Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, ^aglorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they ^aglorified God and were filled ^awith awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Jesus Calls Levi

27 ^bAfter this he went out and saw ^ca tax collector named ^dLevi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And ^eleaving everything, he rose and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company ^fof tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and ^gtheir scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, ^h“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 ⁱI have not come to call the righteous ^jbut sinners ^kto repentance.”

A Question About Fasting

33 And they said to him, ^l“The disciples of John ^mfast often and ^moffer prayers, ⁿand so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, ^o“Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 ^pThe days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and ^qthen they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old ^rwineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”⁵