Old/New Testament
The King Throws a Lavish Party
1 [a] The following events happened[b] in the days of Ahasuerus.[c] (I am referring to[d] that Ahasuerus who used to rule over 127 provinces[e] extending all the way from India to Ethiopia.[f]) 2 In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa[g] the citadel,[h] 3 in the third[i] year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army[j] of Persia and Media[k] was present,[l] as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces.
4 He displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time[m]—180 days, to be exact![n] 5 When those days[o] were completed, the king then provided a seven-day[p] banquet for all the people who were present[q] in Susa the citadel, for those of highest standing to the most lowly.[r] It was held in the court located in the garden of the royal palace. 6 The furnishings included white linen and blue curtains hung by cords of the finest linen[s] and purple wool on silver rings, alabaster columns, gold and silver couches[t] displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mineral stone. 7 Drinks[u] were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense. 8 There were no restrictions on the drinking,[v] for the king had instructed all his supervisors[w] that they should do as everyone so desired.[x] 9 Queen Vashti[y] also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahasuerus’ royal palace.
Queen Vashti is Removed from Her Royal Position
10 On the seventh day, as King Ahasuerus was feeling the effects of the wine,[z] he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him,[aa] 11 to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive.[ab] 12 But Queen Vashti refused[ac] to come at the king’s bidding[ad] conveyed through the eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed[ae] him.
13 The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times—for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities.[af] 14 Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis[ag] and had the most prominent offices[ah] in the kingdom. 15 The king asked,[ai] “By law,[aj] what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she has not obeyed the instructions of King Ahasuerus conveyed through the eunuchs?”
16 Memucan then replied to the king and the officials, “The wrong of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone, but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, ‘When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence, she would not come.’ 18 And this very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond in the same way to all the royal officials, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. 19 If the king is so inclined,[ak] let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed,[al] that Vashti[am] may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another[an] who is more deserving than she.[ao] 20 And let the king’s decision that he will enact be disseminated[ap] throughout all his kingdom, vast though it is.[aq] Then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the most prominent to the lowly.”
21 The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of Memucan. 22 He sent letters throughout all the royal provinces, to each province according to its own script and to each people according to their own language,[ar] that every man should be ruling his family[as] and should be speaking the language of his own people.[at]
Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti’s Place
2 When these things had been accomplished[au] and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered[av] Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided[aw] against her. 2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted on the king’s behalf for attractive young women.[ax] 3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem[ay] under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire.[az] 4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive[ba] become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king,[bb] so he acted accordingly.
5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai.[bc] He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah[bd] king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile. 7 Now he was acting as the guardian of[be] Hadassah[bf] (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive.[bg] This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure.[bh] When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her[bi] as if she were his own daughter.
8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known[bj] many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace[bk] to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women. 9 This young woman pleased him,[bl] and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen[bm] young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem.[bn]
10 Now Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage,[bo] for Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.[bp] 11 And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing[bq] and what might happen to her.
12 At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women,[br] when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahasuerus—for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women— 13 the woman would go to the king in the following way: Whatever she asked for would be provided for her to take with her from the harem to the royal palace. 14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to a separate part[bs] of the harem, to the authority of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was overseeing the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her[bt] and she was requested by name.
15 When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter[bu]) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her. 16 Then Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal residence in the tenth[bv] month (that is, the month of Tebeth) in the seventh[bw] year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval[bx] more than all the other young women.[by] So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen[bz] in place of Vashti. 18 Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants—it was actually Esther’s banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense.[ca]
Mordecai Learns of a Plot against the King
19 Now when the young women were being gathered again,[cb] Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.[cc] 20 Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people,[cd] just as Mordecai had instructed her.[ce] Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.
21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan[cf] and Teresh,[cg] two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance,[ch] became angry and plotted to assassinate[ci] King Ahasuerus. 22 When Mordecai learned of the conspiracy,[cj] he informed Queen Esther,[ck] and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 The king then had the matter investigated and, finding it to be so, had the two conspirators[cl] hanged on a gallows.[cm] It was then recorded in the daily chronicles in the king’s presence.
The Judgment on Ananias and Sapphira
5 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. 2 He[a] kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought[b] only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled[c] your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of[d] the land? 4 Before it was sold,[e] did it not[f] belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money[g] not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart?[h] You have not lied to people[i] but to God!”
5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped[j] all who heard about it. 6 So the young men came,[k] wrapped him up,[l] carried him out, and buried[m] him. 7 After an interval of about three hours,[n] his wife came in, but she did not know[o] what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you[p] paid this amount[q] for the land?” Sapphira[r] said, “Yes, that much.” 9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 At once[s] she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great[t] fear gripped[u] the whole church[v] and all who heard about these things.
The Apostles Perform Miraculous Signs and Wonders
12 Now many miraculous signs[w] and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By[x] common consent[y] they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico.[z] 13 None of the rest dared to join them,[aa] but the people held them in high honor.[ab] 14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number,[ac] crowds of both men and women. 15 Thus[ad] they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. 16 A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits.[ae] They[af] were all[ag] being healed.
Further Trouble for the Apostles
17 Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadducees[ah]),[ai] and they were filled with jealousy.[aj] 18 They[ak] laid hands on[al] the apostles and put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord[am] opened[an] the doors of the prison,[ao] led them out,[ap] and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple courts[aq] and proclaim[ar] to the people all the words of this life.” 21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courts[as] at daybreak and began teaching.[at]
Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin[au]—that is, the whole high council[av] of the Israelites[aw]—and sent to the jail to have the apostles[ax] brought before them.[ay]
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