Esther Saves the Jews

1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, ^kthe enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told ^lwhat he was to her. 2 And the king ^mtook off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. 4 When the king ⁿheld out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king. 5 And she said, “If it please the king, and ^oif I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the ^pletters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. 6 For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?” 7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows,¹ because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. 8 But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and ^qseal it with the king’s ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring ^rcannot be revoked.”

9 The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, ^s127 provinces, ^tto each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. 10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud, 11 saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to ^udestroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to ^vplunder their goods, 12 on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the ^wthirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13 ^xA copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies. 14 So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king’s service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king’s command. And ^ythe decree was issued in Susa the citadel.

15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown² and a robe of fine linen and purple, and ^zthe city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 The Jews had ^alight and gladness and joy and honor. 17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Peter and John Before the Council

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the ^xSadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the ^yresurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in ^zcustody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the ^anumber of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ^bsaid to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today ^cconcerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the ^dname of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ^eyou crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus¹ is ^fthe stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the ^gcornerstone.² 12 And there is ^hsalvation in no one else, for there is no other ⁱname under heaven given among men³ by which we must be saved.”

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were ^juneducated, common men, they were astonished. ^kAnd they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had ^lnothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and ^mcharged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is ⁿright in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we ^ocannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were ^ppraising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who ^qmade the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,⁴ said by the Holy Spirit,

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both ^sHerod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had ^tpredestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all ^uboldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was ^vshaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

They Had Everything in Common

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was ^wnot a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses ^xsold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was ^ydistributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ ^zfeet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan ^afilled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 ^bWhen Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you⁶ sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to ^ctest the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great ^dfear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Many Signs and Wonders Done

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were ^eadded to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his ^fshadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all ^ghealed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with ^hjealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public ⁱprison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord ^jopened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this ^kLife.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, ^lwondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, ^m“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s ⁿblood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must ^oobey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a ^ptree. 31 God ^qexalted him ^rat his right hand as ^sLeader and ^tSavior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are ^uwitnesses to these things, ^vand so is the Holy Spirit, ^wwhom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were ^xenraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days ^yTheudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of ^zthe census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and ^acharged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, ^brejoicing that they were ^ccounted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the ^dChrist is Jesus.

Seven Chosen to Serve

1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the ^eHellenists⁷ arose against the ^fHebrews because their ^gwidows were being neglected in the ^hdaily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ⁱ“It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers,^{8 j}pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will ^kdevote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man ^lfull of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they ^mprayed and ⁿlaid their hands on them.

7 And the ^oword of God continued to increase, and the ^pnumber of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Is Seized

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was ^qdoing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they ^rcould not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak ^sblasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and ^tthey set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against ^uthis holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will ^vdestroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his ^wface was like the face of an angel.