the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 20 - Old & New Testament
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Esther 1,2
Vashti Angers the King
1 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus,[a](a) who ruled 127 provinces(b) from India[b] to Cush. 2 In those days King Ahasuerus reigned from his royal throne(c) in the fortress at Susa.(d) 3 He held a feast(e) in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media,(f) the nobles,(g) and the officials from the provinces. 4 He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness(h) for a total of 180 days.
5 At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet(i) in the garden courtyard(j) of the royal palace(k) for all the people, from the greatest to the least,(l) who were present in the fortress of Susa.(m) 6 White and violet linen hangings were fastened with fine white and purple linen cords to silver rods on marble[c] columns. Gold and silver couches(n) were arranged on a mosaic pavement of red feldspar,[d] marble,[e] mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.
7 Beverages were served in an array of gold goblets,(o) each with a different design. Royal wine flowed freely, according to the king's bounty(p) 8 and no restraint was placed on the drinking. The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve as much as each person wanted. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women of King Ahasuerus's palace.
10 On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine,(q) Ahasuerus commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,(r) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs(s) who personally served him, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful.(t) 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command that was delivered by his eunuchs. The king became furious and his anger burned within him.(u)
The King's Decree
13 The king consulted the wise men(v) who understood the times,[f](w) for it was his normal procedure to confer with experts in law and justice. 14 The most trusted ones[g] were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials(x) of Persia and Media(y) who had personal access to the king(z) and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom.(aa) 15 The king asked, "According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus's command that was delivered by the eunuchs?"
16 Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus's provinces.(ab) 17 For the queen's action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.' 18 Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen's act will say the same thing to all the king's officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.
19 "If it meets the king's approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be revoked:(ac) Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus's presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she.(ad) 20 The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom,(ae) so all women will honor their husbands,(af) from the least to the greatest."(ag)
21 The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan's advice. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language,(ah) that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people.
Search for a New Queen
1 Some time later,(a) when King Ahasuerus's rage(b) had cooled down, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what was decided against her.(c) 2 The king's personal attendants[a] suggested, "Let a search be made for beautiful young women for the king.(d) 3 Let the king appoint commissioners(e) in each province of his kingdom, so that they may assemble all the beautiful young women to the harem at the fortress of Susa.(f) Put them under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch,(g) who is in charge of the women,(h) and give them the required beauty treatments. 4 Then the young woman who pleases the king(i) will become queen instead of Vashti."(j) This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.
5 In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai(k) son of Jair, son of Shimei,(l) son of Kish,(m) a Benjaminite. 6 He had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the other captives when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took King Jeconiah[b] of Judah into exile.(n) 7 Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin[c] Hadassah (that is, Esther), because she didn't have a father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.(o)
8 When the king's command and edict became public knowledge, many young women gathered at the fortress of Susa under Hegai's care. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. 9 The young woman pleased him and gained his favor[d] so that he accelerated the process of the beauty treatments and the special diet that she received. He assigned seven hand-picked female servants to her from the palace and transferred her and her servants to the harem's best quarters.
10 Esther did not reveal her ethnic background or her birthplace, because Mordecai had ordered her not to. 11 Every day Mordecai took a walk in front of the harem's courtyard to learn how Esther was doing and to see what was happening to her.
12 During the year before each young woman's turn to go to King Ahasuerus, the harem regulation required her to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months. 13 When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the palace. 14 She would go in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the supervision of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines.(p) She never went to the king again, unless he desired her and summoned her by name.(q)
Esther Becomes Queen
15 Esther was the daughter of Abihail,(r) the uncle of Mordecai who had adopted her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king's trusted official in charge of the harem, suggested. Esther won approval in the sight of everyone who saw her.(s)
16 She was taken to King Ahasuerus in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.(t) 17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other young women. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.(u) 18 The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff.(v) It was Esther's banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king's bounty.(w)
19 When the young women(x) were assembled together for a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King's Gate.(y) 20 Esther still had not revealed her birthplace or her ethnic background, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai's orders, as she always had while he raised her.
Mordecai Saves the King
21 During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King's Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs(z) who guarded the king's entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate[e] King Ahasuerus. 22 When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai's behalf.(aa) 23 When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows.(ab) This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king's presence.
Matthew 1
Chapter 1
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1 The(a) historical record[a](b) of Jesus Christ, the Son of David,(c) the Son of Abraham:(d)
From Abraham to David
2 Abraham fathered[b] Isaac,
Isaac fathered Jacob,
Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers,(e)
3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
Perez fathered Hezron,
Hezron fathered Aram,(f)
4 Aram fathered Amminadab,
Amminadab fathered Nahshon,
Nahshon fathered Salmon,
5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab,
Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,
Obed fathered Jesse,(g)
6 and Jesse fathered King David.
From David to the Babylonian Exile
Then[c] David fathered Solomon by Uriah's wife,(h)
7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam,
Rehoboam fathered Abijah,
Abijah fathered Asa,[d]
8 Asa[e] fathered Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat fathered Joram,[f]
Joram fathered Uzziah,(i)
9 Uzziah fathered Jotham,
Jotham fathered Ahaz,
Ahaz fathered Hezekiah,
10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh,
Manasseh fathered Amon,[g]
Amon fathered Josiah,(j)
11 and Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the exile to Babylon.(k)
From the Exile to the Messiah
12 Then after the exile to Babylon
Jechoniah fathered Shealtiel,
Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud,
Abiud fathered Eliakim,
Eliakim fathered Azor,(l)
14 Azor fathered Zadok,
Zadok fathered Achim,
Achim fathered Eliud,
15 Eliud fathered Eleazar,
Eleazar fathered Matthan,
Matthan fathered Jacob,
16 and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary,
who gave birth to[h] Jesus who is called the Messiah.(m)
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.(n)
The Nativity of the Messiah
18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.(o) 19 So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man,(p) and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.(q)
20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit.(r) 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus,[i](s) because He will save His people from their sins."(t)
22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23
See, the virgin will become pregnant
and give birth to a son,
and they will name Him Immanuel
,[j]
which is translated "God is with us."(u)
24 When Joseph got up from sleeping, he did as the Lord's angel had commanded him. He married her(v) 25 but did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son.[k] And he named Him Jesus.(w)
Luke 3
Chapter 3
The Messiah's Herald
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,[a] while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,(a) Herod was tetrarch[b] of Galilee,(b) his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea[c] and Trachonitis,[d] and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,[e] 2 during the high priesthood of Annas(c) and Caiaphas,(d) God's word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.(e) 3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan,(f) preaching a baptism of repentance[f] for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make His paths straight!
5
Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be made low;
[g]
the crooked will become straight,
the rough ways smooth,
6
and everyone
[h]
will see the salvation of God.
(g)[i]
7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers!(h) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don't start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,'(i) for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike[j] the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."(j)
10 "What then should we do?"(k) the crowds were asking him.
11 He replied to them, "The one who has two shirts[k] must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same."(l)
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"(m)
13 He told them, "Don't collect any more than what you have been authorized."
14 Some soldiers also questioned him: "What should we do?"
He said to them, "Don't take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages."
15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds[l] whether John might be the Messiah.(n) 16 John answered them all,(o) "I baptize you with[m] water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with[n] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel[o](p) is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out."(q) 18 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch,(r) being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother's wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done,(s) 20 added this to everything else—he locked John up in prison.(t)
The Baptism of Jesus
21 When all the people were baptized,(u) Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying,(v) heaven opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:
You are My beloved Son.
I take delight in You!(w)
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
23 As He began His ministry, Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be[p] the
son of Joseph,(x) son[q] of Heli,
24 son of Matthat, son of Levi,
son of Melchi, son of Jannai,
son of Joseph,
25 son of Mattathias,
son of Amos, son of Nahum,
son of Esli, son of Naggai,
26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias,
son of Semein, son of Josech,
son of Joda,
27 son of Joanan,
son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel,(y)
son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,
28 son of Melchi, son of Addi,
son of Cosam, son of Elmadam,
son of Er,
29 son of Joshua,
son of Eliezer, son of Jorim,
son of Matthat, son of Levi,
30 son of Simeon, son of Judah,
son of Joseph, son of Jonam,
son of Eliakim,
31 son of Melea,
son of Menna, son of Mattatha,
son of Nathan, son of David,
32 son of Jesse,(z) son of Obed,
son of Boaz, son of Salmon,[r]
son of Nahshon,
33 son of Amminadab,
son of Ram,[s] son of Hezron,
son of Perez, son of Judah,
34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac,
son of Abraham,(aa) son of Terah,
son of Nahor,
35 son of Serug,
son of Reu, son of Peleg,
son of Eber, son of Shelah,
36 son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad,
son of Shem, son of Noah,(ab)
son of Lamech,
37 son of Methuselah,
son of Enoch, son of Jared,
son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan,
38 son of Enos, son of Seth,
son of Adam, son of God.
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