Old & New Testaments
Click to Subscribe
Reading Plan
Bible Version
Day 203 Day 204Day 205

Esther chapter 6

1
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of 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 chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
3
And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
4
And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5
And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6
So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
7
And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,
8
Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:
9
And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
10
Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.
11
Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
12
And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
13
And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
14
And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Esther chapter 7

1
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2
And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
3
Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
4
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.
5
Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
6
And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
7
And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8
Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
9
And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
10
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

Esther chapter 8

1
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
2
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
4
Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,
5
And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:
6
For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
7
Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
8
Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
9
Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
10
And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
12
Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14
So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
15
And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16
The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
17
And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Matthew chapter 26

1
And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
2
Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
3
Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
4
And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
5
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
6
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7
There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
8
But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10
When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11
For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
12
For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
13
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
14
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16
And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
17
Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
18
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
19
And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
20
Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
21
And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22
And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
23
And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24
The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25
Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
26
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
30
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
31
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32
But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35
Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
36
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43
And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44
And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45
Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46
Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
47
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49
And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
50
And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
51
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
52
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
53
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
55
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56
But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
57
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58
But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
59
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
60
But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
61
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
62
And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
63
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66
What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
67
Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
68
Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
69
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
70
But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
71
And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72
And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73
And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
74
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
75
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Sign Up for our Newsletter