Daily Readings for November 27
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Esther 2

 

1.After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2.Then the king's servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. 3.Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women's house, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them; 4.and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

5.There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, 6.who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7.He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. 8.So it happened, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9.The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king's house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women's house. 10.Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known. 11.Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women's house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

12.Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women). 13.The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women's house to the king's house. 14.In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women's house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name. 15.Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her. 16.So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17.The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18.Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.

19.When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate. 20.Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him. 21.In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus. 22.This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name. 23.When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king's presence.

 

Amos 7

 

1.Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me: and behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's harvest. 2.It happened that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, "Lord Yahweh, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small."

3.Yahweh relented concerning this. "It shall not be," says Yahweh.

4.Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me and behold, the Lord Yahweh called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land. 5.Then I said, "Lord Yahweh, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small."

6.Yahweh relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," says the Lord Yahweh.

7.Thus he showed me and behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8.Yahweh said to me, "Amos, what do you see?"

I said, "A plumb line."

Then the Lord said, "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more. 9.The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."

10.Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11.For Amos says, 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'"

12.Amaziah also said to Amos, "You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 13.but don't prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house!"

14.Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs; 15.and Yahweh took me from following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' 16.Now therefore listen to the word of Yahweh: 'You say, Don't prophesy against Israel, and don't preach against the house of Isaac.' 17.Therefore thus says Yahweh: 'Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'"

 

Titus 1

 

1.Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2.in hope of eternal life, which God, who can't lie, promised before time began; 3.but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior; 4.to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5.I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you; 6.if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. 7.For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; 8.but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; 9.holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him. 10.For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11.whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain's sake. 12.One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons." 13.This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14.not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15.To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16.They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

 

Titus 2

 

1.But say the things which fit sound doctrine, 2.that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in patience: 3.and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; 4.that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5.to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God's word may not be blasphemed. 6.Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded; 7.in all things showing yourself an example of good works; in your teaching showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, 8.and soundness of speech that can't be condemned; that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. 9.Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting; 10.not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things. 11.For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12.instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; 13.looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14.who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. 15.Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise you.

 

Titus 3

 

1.Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2.to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. 3.For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4.But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 5.not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6.whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7.that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8.This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men; 9.but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10.Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning; 11.knowing that such a one is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.

12.When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there. 13.Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them. 14.Let our people also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.

15.All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

 

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