Old/New Testament
The Turning Point: The King Honors Mordecai
6 Throughout that night the king was unable to sleep,[a] so he asked for the book containing the historical records[b] to be brought. As the records[c] were being read in the king’s presence, 2 it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana[d] and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate[e] King Ahasuerus.
3 The king asked, “What great honor[f] was bestowed on Mordecai because of this?” The king’s attendants who served him responded, “Not a thing was done for him.”
4 Then the king said, “Who is that in the courtyard?” Now Haman had come to the outer courtyard of the palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had constructed for him. 5 The king’s attendants said to him, “It is Haman who is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him enter.”
6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman thought to himself,[g] “Who is it that the king would want to honor more than me?” 7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, 8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one bearing the royal insignia.[h] 9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him[i] then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling[j] before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”
10 The king then said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the clothing and the horse, just as you have described, and do as you just indicated to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Don’t neglect[k] a single thing of all that you have said.”
11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai. He led him about on the horse throughout the plaza of the city, calling before him, “So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!”
12 Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head. 13 Haman then related to his wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. These wise men,[l] along with his wife Zeresh, said to him, “If indeed this Mordecai before whom you have begun to fall is Jewish,[m] you will not prevail against him. No, you will surely fall before him!”
14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
The King Has Haman Executed
7 So the king and Haman came to dine[n] with Queen Esther. 2 On the second day of the banquet of wine the king asked Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you. And what is your petition? Ask for up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done.”
3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have met with your approval,[o] O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition. 4 For we have been sold[p]—both I and my people—to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation. If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”
5 Then King Ahasuerus responded[q] to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough[r] to act in this way?”
6 Esther replied, “The oppressor and enemy is this evil Haman!”
Then Haman became terrified in the presence of the king and queen. 7 In rage the king arose from the banquet of wine and withdrew to the palace garden. Meanwhile, Haman stood to beg Queen Esther for his life,[s] for he realized that the king had now determined a catastrophic end for him.[t]
8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down[u] on the couch where Esther was lying.[v] The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building?”
As these words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Harbona,[w] one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Indeed, there is the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke out on the king’s behalf. It stands near Haman’s home and is 75 feet[x] high.”
The king said, “Hang him on it!” 10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.
The King Acts to Protect the Jews
8 On that same day King Ahasuerus gave the estate[y] of Haman, that adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Now Mordecai had come before the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her. 2 The king then removed his signet ring (the very one he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.
3 Then Esther again spoke with the king, falling at his feet. She wept and begged him for mercy, that he might nullify the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had intended against the Jews.[z] 4 When the king extended to Esther the gold scepter, she[aa] arose and stood before the king.
5 She said, “If the king is so inclined, and if I have met with his approval, and if the matter is agreeable to the king, and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,[ab] which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”[ac]
7 King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have already given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action[ad] against the Jews. 8 Now write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.”
9 The king’s scribes were quickly[ae] summoned—in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day.[af] They wrote out[ag] everything that Mordecai instructed to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the officials of the provinces all the way from India to Ethiopia[ah]—127 provinces in all—to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, and to the Jews according to their own script and their own language. 10 Mordecai[ai] wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers, who rode royal horses that were very swift.
11 The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves—to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children,[aj] and to confiscate their property. 12 This was to take place on a certain day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus—namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). 13 A copy of the edict was to be presented as law throughout each and every province and made known to all peoples, so that the Jews might be prepared on that[ak] day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers who were riding the royal horses went forth with the king’s edict without delay.[al] And the law was presented in Susa the citadel as well.
15 Now Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in blue and white royal attire, with a large golden crown and a purple linen mantle. The city of Susa shouted with joy.[am] 16 For the Jews there was radiant happiness and joyous honor.[an] 17 Throughout every province and throughout every city where the king’s edict and his law arrived, the Jews experienced happiness and joy, banquets and holidays. Many of the resident peoples[ao] pretended to be Jews,[ap] because the fear of the Jews had overcome them.[aq]
The Appointment of the First Seven Deacons
6 Now in those[a] days, when the disciples were growing in number,[b] a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews[c] against the native Hebraic Jews,[d] because their widows[e] were being overlooked[f] in the daily distribution of food.[g] 2 So the twelve[h] called[i] the whole group[j] of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.[k] 3 But carefully select from among you, brothers,[l] seven[m] men who are well-attested,[n] full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge[o] of this necessary task.[p] 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The[q] proposal pleased the entire group, so[r] they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with[s] Philip,[t] Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism[u] from Antioch. 6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed[v] and placed[w] their hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread,[x] the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group[y] of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen is Arrested
8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs[z] among the people. 9 But some men from the Synagogue[aa] of the Freedmen (as it was called),[ab] both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia,[ac] stood up and argued with Stephen. 10 Yet[ad] they were not able to resist[ae] the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly instigated[af] some men to say, “We have heard this man[ag] speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They incited the people, the[ah] elders, and the experts in the law;[ai] then they approached Stephen,[aj] seized him, and brought him before the council.[ak] 13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place[al] and the law.[am] 14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs[an] that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All[ao] who were sitting in the council[ap] looked intently at Stephen[aq] and saw his face was like the face of an angel.[ar]
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