Old/New Testament
The Jews Prevail over Their Enemies
9 In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies. 2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 Mordecai was of high rank[a] in the king’s palace, and word about him was spreading throughout all the provinces. His influence[b] continued to become greater and greater.
5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies. 6 In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men. 7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.
11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention. 12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”
13 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today’s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.”
14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa then assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed 300 men in Susa. But they did not confiscate their property.
16 The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed 75,000[c] of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property. 17 All this happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. They then rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day for banqueting and happiness.
The Origins of the Feast of Purim
18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness. 19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country—those who live in rural villages—set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar for happiness, banqueting, a holiday, and sending gifts to one another.
20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth days of the month of Adar each year 22 as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies—the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.
23 So the Jews committed themselves to continuing what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast pur (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them. 25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king[d] gave written orders that Haman’s[e] evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows. 26 For this reason these days are known as Purim, after the name of pur. Therefore, because of the account found in this letter and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established as binding on themselves, their descendants, and all who joined their company that they should observe these two days without fail, just as written and at the appropriate time on an annual basis. 28 These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.
29 So Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second[f] letter about Purim. 30 Letters were sent[g] to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus—words of true peace[h]— 31 to establish these days of Purim in their proper times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as they had established both for themselves and their descendants, matters pertaining to fasting and lamentation. 32 Esther’s command established these matters of Purim, and the matter was officially recorded.[i]
Mordecai’s Fame Increases
10 King Ahasuerus then imposed forced labor on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. 2 Now all the actions carried out under his authority and his great achievements, along with an exact statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles[j] of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking[k] Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives.[l] He worked enthusiastically for[m] the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of[n] all his descendants.[o]
Stephen’s Defense Before the Council
7 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?”[a] 2 So he replied,[b] “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather[c] Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’[d] 4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God[e] made him move[f] to this country where you now live. 5 He[g] did not give any of it to him for an inheritance,[h] not even a foot of ground,[i] yet God[j] promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him,[k] even though Abraham[l] as yet had no child. 6 But God spoke as follows: ‘Your[m] descendants will be foreigners[n] in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for 400 years.[o] 7 But I will punish[p] the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there[q] and worship[r] me in this place.’[s] 8 Then God[t] gave Abraham[u] the covenant[v] of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old,[w] and Isaac became the father of[x] Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.[y] 9 The[z] patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold[aa] him into Egypt. But[ab] God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made[ac] him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Then a famine occurred throughout[ad] Egypt and Canaan, causing[ae] great suffering, and our[af] ancestors[ag] could not find food. 12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain[ah] in Egypt, he sent our ancestors[ai] there[aj] the first time. 13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family[ak] became known to Pharaoh. 14 So Joseph sent a message[al] and invited[am] his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people[an] in all. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there,[ao] along with our ancestors,[ap] 16 and their bones[aq] were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money[ar] from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham,[as] the people increased greatly in number[at] in Egypt, 18 until another king who did not know about[au] Joseph ruled[av] over Egypt.[aw] 19 This was the one who exploited[ax] our people[ay] and was cruel to our ancestors,[az] forcing them to abandon[ba] their infants so they would die.[bb] 20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful[bc] to God. For[bd] three months he was brought up in his father’s house, 21 and when he had been abandoned,[be] Pharaoh’s daughter adopted[bf] him and brought him up[bg] as her own son.
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