Old/New Testament
Esther Chosen as Queen
Chapter 1
A Great Banquet.[a] 1 This took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the king who ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.[b] 2 At that time, King Ahasuerus was reigning from the royal throne of the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign, he threw a great banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military commanders of Persia and Media were present, and so were the princes and the nobles of the provinces.
4 For a full one hundred and eighty days the king showcased the wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. 5 When these days were over, he threw a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of his palace, for all the people, from the least to the greatest, who lived in the citadel of Susa.
6 The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were on the pavement, which was of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones. 7 Wine was served in golden goblets, each different from one another, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s beneficence. 8 By the order of the king, there were no limits on the drinks. For he instructed all the wine stewards to give everyone whatever was requested.
Queen Vashti Deposed. 9 Meanwhile, in the king’s royal palace, Queen Vashti[c] was giving a banquet for the women.
10 On the seventh day, when King Ahasuerus was merry with wine, he summoned the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants—Mehuman, Biztha, Har-bona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas. 11 He ordered them to bring the queen into his presence, wearing the royal crown, so he could show her off to the officials and all his guests, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the official command issued through the eunuchs. This embarrassed the king and made him furious.
13 Since it was his custom to consult experts in matters of law and justice, the king consulted with the wise men who understood the laws. 14 He summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven Persian and Median officials who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
15 The king asked, “What does the law say must be done about Queen Vashti, who disobeyed the command of King Ahasuerus issued through the eunuchs?”
16 It was Memucan, then, who replied in the presence of the king and the nobles: “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the nobles and peoples throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For this behavior of the queen will become known to all the women, and they will disrespect their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti enter his presence, but she refused to come.’ 18 So this very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have learned about the queen’s behavior will react against the king’s nobles in like manner, resulting in no end of rancor and discord.
19 “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree inscribed in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed,[d] to the effect that Vashti is nevermore to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus and that her position be given to someone more worthy than she is. 20 Then when the edict is published throughout his vast domain, all the women will respect their husbands, from the greatest to the least.”
21 The king and his nobles found this advice very acceptable, so the king acted upon Memucan’s words. 22 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom—to every province in its own script and to each people in its own language—proclaiming in each people’s tongue that every man should be the master of his own house.[e]
Chapter 2
Esther Is Made Queen. 1 After a time, the anger of King Ahasuerus abated, and he began to think of what Vashti had done and what he had decreed about her. 2 At this point, the king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made to find beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his kingdom to bring all those beautiful young virgins into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed in the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who is in charge of the women, and let them receive beauty treatments. 4 Then let the girl who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he acted upon it.
5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai, son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish. 6 He had been carted off into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jeconiah, king of Judah. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah,[f] whom he had brought up because she had lost her father and mother. She was also known as Esther and was a beautiful young woman. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter after her father and mother had died.
8 When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and placed in the care of Hegai. Esther, too, was brought to the royal palace in the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the harem. 9 She pleased him and won his favor. So Hegai lost no time in furnishing her with cosmetics and provisions and in assigning her seven maids from the king’s palace while transferring her and the maids into the best place in the harem.
10 Now on the counsel of Mordecai, Esther did not mention her nationality or family to anyone. 11 And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem, seeking to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Before each girl’s turn came when she could visit King Ahasuerus, she must have completed twelve months of prescribed beauty treatments: six months with oil of myrrh and another six with perfume and cosmetics. 13 When the girl went to visit the king, she received whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s royal palace. 14 She would go there in the evening and in the morning would come back to another part of the harem, which was in the care of Shaazgaz, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not visit the king again unless he summoned her by name.
15 As for Esther, daughter of Abihail and adopted daughter of Mordecai, when it came time for her turn to visit the king, she asked nothing more than what the royal eunuch Hegai, who was in charge of the harem, suggested. Nevertheless, she won the admiration of all who saw her. 16 So, in the seventh year of his reign, in the tenth month, Tebeth,[g] Esther was brought to King Ahasuerus in the royal palace.
17 The king loved Esther more than any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. 18 Then the king gave a great banquet for all his nobles and administrators to honor Esther. He proclaimed a holiday[h] throughout the provinces and gave gifts with royal liberality.
19 [Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy.[i] To resume: When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, 20 and Esther had still not revealed her family or nationality just as Mordecai had instructed her. For she was still following his advice as she had done when he was bringing her up.
21 During the time Mordecai spent at the king’s gate,[j] Bagathan and Thares, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became angry and plotted to kill King Ahasuerus. 22 However, Mordecai became aware of the plot and told Queen Esther about it, and she informed the king for Mordecai. 23 When the matter was investigated and proved to be true, both men were hanged on a gibbet. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the king’s presence.]
Chapter 5
The Fraud of Ananias and Sapphira.[a] 1 There was a man named Ananias who with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property. 2 With the approval of his wife, he held back some of the proceeds, and he brought the remainder to the apostles and laid it at their feet.
3 Then Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan so gained control of your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the sale price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not belong to you? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds yours? What caused you to contrive this scheme? You have lied not to men but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he collapsed and died, and a great sense of fear seized all who heard about it. 6 The young men came forward and wrapped up his body. Then they carried him out and buried him.
7 After about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this much.” She replied, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter asked her, “Why did the two of you agree to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Listen! The footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will also carry you out.”
10 Instantly, she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. And so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And a great sense of fear seized the whole Church[b] and all those who heard of this.
12 Life of the First Community—III.[c] Many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. They all used to assemble in Solomon’s Portico. 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 More believers, men and women, were constantly being added to their ranks. 15 People brought those who were sick into the streets and placed them on cots and mats so that when Peter passed by, his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 A large number of people also came from the neighboring towns around Jerusalem, bringing with them the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.
17 Conclusion of the Trial.[d] Then the high priest and his colleagues from the party of the Sadducees rose up, filled with jealousy, 18 and they arrested the apostles and placed them in the public jail. 19 But during the night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, led them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple, and tell the people everything about this new life.” 21 Accordingly, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught the people.
When the high priest and his colleagues arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full assembly of the elders of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought in.
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