Bible Readings for August 20, 2017

Today our passages are Esther 8:1–10:3; 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13; Psalm 37:1-11; and Proverbs 21:23-24. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Esther 8-10:3 (Contemporary English Version)

Esther 8

A Happy Ending for the Jews

 ¹Before the end of the day, King Xerxes gave Esther everything that had belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin. So the king made Mordecai one of his highest officials ²and gave him the royal ring that Haman had worn. Then Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property.     ³Once again Esther went to speak to the king. This time she fell down at his feet, crying and begging, " Please stop Haman's evil plan to have the Jews killed!" ⁴King Xerxes held out the golden scepter to Esther, ⁵and she got up and said, " Your Majesty, I know that you will do the right thing and that you really love me. Please stop what Haman has planned. He has already sent letters demanding that the Jews in all your provinces be killed, ⁶and I can't bear to see my people and my own relatives destroyed."
    ⁷King Xerxes then said to Esther and Mordecai, " I have already ordered Haman to be hanged and his house given to Esther, because of his evil plans to kill the Jews. ⁸I now give you permission to make a law that will save the lives of your people. You may use my ring to seal the law, so that it can never be changed."
    ⁹On the twenty-third day of Sivan, ^[a] the third month, the king's secretaries wrote the law. They obeyed Mordecai and wrote to the Jews, the rulers, the governors, and the officials of all one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. ^[b] The letters were written in every language used in the kingdom, including the Jewish language. ¹⁰They were written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with his ring. Then they were taken by messengers who rode the king's finest and fastest horses. ^11-13In these letters the king said:
   On the thirteenth day of Adar, ^[c] the twelfth month, the Jews in every city and province will be allowed to get together and defend themselves. They may destroy any army that attacks them, and they may kill all of their enemies, including women and children. They may also take everything that belongs to their enemies. A copy of this law is to be posted in every province and read by everyone.
    ^14-15Then the king ordered his messengers to take their fastest horses and deliver the law as quickly as possible to every province. When Mordecai left, he was wearing clothes fit for a king. He wore blue and white robes, a large gold crown, and a cape made of fine linen and purple cloth.
   After the law was announced in Susa, everyone shouted and cheered, ¹⁶and the Jews were no longer afraid. In fact, they were very happy and felt that they had won a victory.
    ¹⁷In every province and city where the law was sent, the Jews had parties and celebrated. Many of the people in the provinces accepted the Jewish religion, because they were now afraid of the Jews.
   

Esther 9

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

 ¹The first law that the king had made was to be followed on the thirteenth day of Adar, ^[d] the twelfth month. This was the very day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to do away with them. But the Jews turned things around, ²and in the cities of every province they came together to attack their enemies. Everyone was afraid of the Jews, and no one could do anything to oppose them. ³The leaders of the provinces, the rulers, the governors, and the court officials were afraid of Mordecai and took sides with the Jews. ⁴Everyone in the provinces knew that the king had promoted him and had given him a lot of power.     ⁵The Jews took their swords and did away with their enemies, without showing any mercy. ^6-10They killed five hundred people in Susa, ^[e] but they did not take anything that belonged to the ones they killed. Haman had been one of the worst enemies of the Jews, and ten of his sons were among those who were killed. Their names were Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. ¹¹Later that day, someone told the king how many people had been killed in Susa. ^[f] ¹²Then he told Esther, " Five hundred people, including Haman's ten sons, have been killed in Susa alone. If that many were killed here, what must have happened in the provinces? Is there anything else you want done? Just tell me, and it will be done." ¹³Esther answered, " Your Majesty, please let the Jews in Susa fight to defend themselves tomorrow, just as they did today. And order the bodies of Haman's ten sons to be hanged in public."
    ¹⁴King Xerxes did what Esther had requested, and the bodies of Haman's sons were hung in Susa. ¹⁵Then on the fourteenth day of Adar the Jews of the city got together and killed three hundred more people. But they still did not take anything that belonged to their enemies.
    ^16-17On the thirteenth day of Adar, the Jews in the provinces had come together to defend themselves. They killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies, but the Jews did not take anything that belonged to the ones they killed. Then on the fourteenth day of the month the Jews celebrated with a feast.
    ¹⁸On the fifteenth day of the month the Jews in Susa held a holiday and celebrated, after killing their enemies on the thirteenth and the fourteenth. ¹⁹This is why the Jews in the villages now celebrate on the fourteenth day of the month. It is a joyful holiday that they celebrate by feasting and sending gifts of food to each other.
   

The Festival of Purim

 ²⁰Mordecai wrote down everything that had happened. Then he sent letters to the Jews everywhere in the provinces ²¹and told them:    Each year you must celebrate on both the fourteenth and the fifteenth of Adar, ²²the days when we Jews defeated our enemies. Remember this month as a time when our sorrow was turned to joy, and celebration took the place of crying. Celebrate by having parties and by giving to the poor and by sharing gifts of food with each other.
    ²³They followed Mordecai's instructions and set aside these two days every year as a time of celebration.
   

The Reason for the Festival of Purim

 ²⁴Haman was the son of Hammedatha and a descendant of Agag. He hated the Jews so much that he planned to destroy them, but he wanted to find out the best time to do it. So he cast lots. ^[g] ²⁵Esther went to King Xerxes and asked him to save her people. Then the king gave written orders for Haman and his sons to be punished in the same terrible way that Haman had in mind for the Jews. So they were hanged. ²⁶Mordecai's letter had said that the Jews must celebrate for two days because of what had happened to them. This time of celebration is called Purim, ^[h] which is the Hebrew word for the lots that were cast. ²⁷Now every year the Jews set aside these two days for having parties and celebrating, just as they were told to do. ²⁸From now on, all Jewish families must remember to celebrate Purim on these two days each year. ²⁹Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, wanted to give full authority to Mordecai's letter about the Festival of Purim, and with his help she wrote a letter about the feast. ³⁰Copies of this letter were sent to Jews in the one hundred twenty-seven provinces of King Xerxes. In the letter they said:    We pray that all of you will live in peace and safety.
    ³¹You and your descendants must always remember to celebrate Purim at the time and in the way that we have said. You must also follow the instructions that we have given you about mourning and going without eating. ^[i] ³²These laws about Purim are written by the authority of Queen Esther.
   

Esther 10

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

 ¹King Xerxes made everyone in his kingdom pay taxes, even those in lands across the sea. ²All the great and famous things that King Xerxes did are written in the record books of the kings of Media and Persia. These records also tell about the honors that the king gave to Mordecai. ³Next to the king himself, Mordecai was the highest official in the kingdom. He was a popular leader of the Jews, because he helped them in many ways and would even speak to the king for them.    

Footnotes:

1. Esther 8:9 Sivan: The third month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-May to mid-June.
2. Esther 8:9 Ethiopia: See the note at 1.1,2.
3. Esther 8:11 Adar: See the note at 3.7.
4. Esther 9:1 Adar: See the note at 3.7.
5. Esther 9:6 in Susa: Or " in the royal fortress in Susa."
6. Esther 9:11 in Susa: Or " in the royal fortress in Susa."
7. Esther 9:24 cast lots: See the note at 3.7.
8. Esther 9:26 Purim: The Jewish festival of Purim got its name from " purim," which is the Babylonian name for the lots that Haman used. Purim is celebrated each year on the 14th and 15th of Adar, which is about the first of March.
9. Esther 9:31 going without eating: See the note at 4.3.

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1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁷Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body. ²⁸First, God chose some people to be apostles and prophets and teachers for the church. But he also chose some to work miracles or heal the sick or help others or be leaders or speak different kinds of languages. ²⁹Not everyone is an apostle. Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can work miracles. ³⁰Not everyone can heal the sick. Not everyone can speak different kinds of languages. Not everyone can tell what these languages mean. ³¹I want you to desire the best gifts. ^[a] So I will show you a much better way.

1 Corinthians 13

Love

 ¹What if I could speak    all languages
   of humans
   and of angels?
   If I did not love others,
   I would be nothing more
   than a noisy gong
   or a clanging cymbal.
    ²What if I could prophesy
   and understand all secrets
   and all knowledge?
   And what if I had faith
   that moved mountains?
   I would be nothing,
   unless I loved others.
    ³What if I gave away all
   that I owned
   and let myself
   be burned alive? ^[b] I would gain nothing,
   unless I loved others.
    ⁴Love is kind and patient,
   never jealous, boastful,
   proud, or ⁵rude.
   Love isn't selfish
   or quick tempered.
   It doesn't keep a record
   of wrongs that others do.
    ⁶Love rejoices in the truth,
   but not in evil.
    ⁷Love is always supportive,
   loyal, hopeful,
   and trusting.
    ⁸Love never fails!
   Everyone who prophesies
   will stop,
   and unknown languages
   will no longer
   be spoken.
   All that we know
   will be forgotten.
    ⁹We don't know everything,
   and our prophecies
   are not complete.
    ¹⁰But what is perfect
   will someday appear,
   and what isn't perfect
   will then disappear.
    ¹¹When we were children,
   we thought and reasoned
   as children do.
   But when we grew up,
   we quit our childish ways.
    ¹²Now all we can see of God
   is like a cloudy picture
   in a mirror.
   Later we will see him
   face to face.
   We don't know everything,
   but then we will,
   just as God completely
   understands us.
    ¹³For now there are faith,
   hope, and love.
   But of these three,
   the greatest is love.
   

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 12:31 I want you to desire the best gifts: Or "You desire the best gifts."
2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 and let myself be burned alive: Some manuscripts have "so that I could brag."

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Psalm 37:1-11 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 37

(By David.)

Trust the LORD

 ¹Don't be annoyed by anyone    who does wrong,
   and don't envy them.
    ²They will soon disappear
   like grass without rain.
    ³Trust the LORD and live right!
   The land will be yours,
   and you will be safe.
    ⁴Do what the LORD wants,
   and he will give you
   your heart's desire.
    ⁵Let the LORD lead you
   and trust him to help.
    ⁶Then it will be as clear
   as the noonday sun
   that you were right.
    ⁷Be patient and trust the LORD.
   Don't let it bother you
   when all goes well for those
   who do sinful things.
    ⁸Don't be angry or furious.
   Anger can lead to sin.
    ⁹All sinners will disappear,
   but if you trust the LORD,
   the land will be yours.
    ¹⁰Sinners will soon disappear,
   never to be found,
    ¹¹but the poor will take the land
   and enjoy a big harvest.

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Proverbs 21:23-24 (Contemporary English Version)

²³Watching what you say
   can save you
   a lot of trouble.
    ²⁴If you are proud and conceited,
   everyone will say,
   "You're a snob!"

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Verse of the Day

“I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear.” - Psalm 16:8

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

German American Christian existentialist philosopher and theologian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century, Paul Tillich wrote, “Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of life is on the verge of an act of faith.”

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A Joke for Today

Two bees ran into each other. The first bee asked the other how things were going. 

"Really bad," said the second bee. "The weather has been really wet and damp and there aren't any flowers or pollen, so I can't make any honey." 

"No problem," said the first bee. "Just fly down five blocks and turn left. Keep going until you see all the cars. There's a Bar Mitzvah going on and there are all kinds of fresh flowers and fruit." 

"Thanks for the tip," said the second bee, and he flew away. 

A few hours later, the two bees ran into each other again. The first bee asked, "How'd it go?"

“Great!" said the second bee. "It was everything you said it would be." 

"Uh, what's that thing on your head?" asked the first bee. 

"That's my yarmulke," said the second bee. "I didn't want them to think I was a wasp."