Saturday, 22 June

1.   That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 2.   And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3.   Then the king said, "What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?" And the king’s servants who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him." 4.   So the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5.   The king’s servants said to him, "Haman is there, standing in the court." And the king said, "Let him come in." 6.   So Haman came in, and the king asked him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?" 7.   And Haman answered the king, " For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8.   "let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. 9.   "Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’" 10.   Then the king said to Haman, "Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken." 11.   So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!" 12.   Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13.   When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him." 14.   While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

1.   So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. 2.   And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!" 3.   Then Queen Esther answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4.   "For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss." 5.   So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?" 6.   And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!" So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7.   Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. 8.   When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was . Then the king said, "Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?" As the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9.   Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, "Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman." Then the king said, "Hang him on it!" 10.   So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.

1.   On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2.   So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3.   Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4.   And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 5.   and said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6.   "For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?" 7.   Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, "Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. 8.   "You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke." 9.   So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty–third day ; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty–seven provinces in all , to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. 10.   And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds. 11.   By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives––to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12.   on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13.   A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14.   The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel. 15.   So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16.   The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. 17.   And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.

1.   After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 2.   But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people." 3.   And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4.   But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5.   "For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply. 6.   But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7.   "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8.   "She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9.   "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." 10.   Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11.   And when they heard it , they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. 12.   Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb , His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?" 13.   And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. 14.   "Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"’ 15.   "Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us." 16.   So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. 17.   In the evening He came with the twelve. 18.   Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me." 19.   And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, " Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?" 20.   He answered and said to them, " It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. 21.   "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born." 22.   And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it , and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 23.   Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24.   And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. 25.   "Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."