11 And it cometh to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus—he 'is' Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces— 2 in those days, at the sitting of the king Ahasuerus on the throne of his kingdom, that 'is' in Shushan the palace, 3 in the third year of his reign, he hath made a banquet to all his heads and his servants; of the force of Persia and Media, the chiefs and heads of the provinces 'are' before him, 4 in his shewing the wealth of the honour of his kingdom, and the glory of the beauty of his greatness, many days—eighty and a hundred days. 5 And at the fulness of these days hath the king made to all the people who are found in Shushan the palace, from great even unto small, a banquet, seven days, in the court of the garden of the house of the king— 6 white linen, white cotton, and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on rings of silver, and pillars of marble, couches of gold, and of silver, on a pavement of smaragdus, and white marble, and mother-of-pearl, and black marble— 7 and the giving of drink in vessels of gold, and the vessels 'are' divers vessels, and the royal wine 'is' abundant, as a memorial of the king. 8 And the drinking 'is' according to law, none is pressing, for so hath the king appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man. 9 Also Vashti the queen hath made a banquet for women, in the royal house that the king Ahasuerus hath.
10 On the seventh day, as the heart of the king is glad with wine, he hath said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who are ministering in the presence of the king Ahasuerus, 11 to bring in Vashti the queen before the king, with a royal crown, to shew the peoples and the heads her beauty, for she 'is' of good appearance, 12 and the queen Vashti refuseth to come in at the word of the king that 'is' by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king is very wroth, and his fury hath burned in him. 13 And the king saith to wise men, knowing the times—for so 'is' the word of the king before all knowing law and judgment, 14 and he who is near unto him 'is' Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, seven heads of Persia and Media seeing the face of the king, who are sitting first in the kingdom— 15 'According to law, what—to do with queen Vashti, because that she hath not done the saying of the king Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?' 16 And Memucan saith before the king and the heads, 'Not against the king by himself hath Vashti the queen done perversely, but against all the heads, and against all the peoples that 'are' in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus; 17 for go forth doth the word of the queen unto all the women, to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, in their saying, The king Ahasuerus said to bring in Vashti the queen before him, and she did not come; 18 yea, this day do princesses of Persia and Media, who have heard the word of the queen, say 'so' to all heads of the king, even according to the sufficiency of contempt and wrath. 19 'If to the king 'it be' good, there goeth forth a royal word from before him, and it is written with the laws of Persia and Media, and doth not pass away, that Vashti doth not come in before the king Ahasuerus, and her royalty doth the king give to her companion who 'is' better than she; 20 and the sentence of the king that he maketh hath been heard in all his kingdom—for it 'is' great—and all the wives give honour to their husbands, from great even unto small.' 21 And the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and of the princes, and the king doth according to the word of Memucan, 22 and sendeth letters unto all provinces of the king, unto province and province according to its writing, and unto people and people according to its tongue, for every man being head in his own house—and speaking according to the language of his people.
21 After these things, at the ceasing of the fury of the king Ahasuerus, he hath remembered Vashti, and that which she did, and that which hath been decreed concerning her; 2 and servants of the king, his ministers, say, 'Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, of good appearance, 3 and the king doth appoint inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman—virgin, of good appearance—unto Shushan the palace, unto the house of the women, unto the hand of Hege eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications, 4 and the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king doth reign instead of Vashti;' and the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and he doth so. 5 A man, a Jew, there hath been in Shushan the palace, and his name 'is' Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite— 6 who had been removed from Jerusalem with the removal that was removed with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed— 7 and he is supporting Hadassah—she 'is' Esther—daughter of his uncle, for she hath neither father nor mother, and the young woman 'is' of fair form, and of good appearance, and at the death of her father and her mother hath Mordecai taken her to him for a daughter. 8 And it cometh to pass, in the word of the king, even his law, being heard, and in many young women being gathered unto Shushan the palace, unto the hand of Hegai, that Esther is taken unto the house of the king, unto the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women, 9 and the young woman is good in his eyes, and she receiveth kindness before him, and he hasteneth her purifications and her portions—to give to her, and the seven young women who are provided—to give to her, from the house of the king, and he changeth her and her young women to a good 'place in' the house of the women. 10 Esther hath not declared her people, and her kindred, for Mordecai hath laid a charge on her that she doth not declare 'it'; 11 and during every day Mordecai is walking up and down before the court of the house of the women to know the welfare of Esther, and what is done with her. 12 And in the drawing nigh of the turn of each young woman to come in unto the king Ahasuerus, at the end of there being to her—according to the law of the women—twelve months, for so they fulfil the days of their purifications; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with the purifications of women, 13 and with this the young woman hath come in unto the king, all that she saith is given to her, to go in with her, out of the house of the women, unto the house of the king; 14 in the evening she hath gone in, and in the morning she hath turned back unto the second house of the women, unto the hand of Shaashgaz eunuch of the king, keeper of the concubines; she cometh not in any more unto the king except the king hath delighted in her, and she hath been called by name. 15 And in the drawing nigh of the turn of Esther—daughter of Abihail, uncle of Mordecai, whom he had taken to him for a daughter—to come in unto the king, she hath not sought a thing except that which Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, saith, and Esther is receiving grace in the eyes of all seeing her. 16 And Esther is taken unto the king Ahasuerus, unto his royal house, in the tenth month—it 'is' the month of Tebeth—in the seventh year of his reign, 17 and the king loveth Esther above all the women, and she receiveth grace and kindness before him above all the virgins, and he setteth a royal crown on her head, and causeth her to reign instead of Vashti, 18 and the king maketh a great banquet to all his heads and his servants—the banquet of Esther—and a release to the provinces hath made, and giveth gifts as a memorial of the king.
19 And in the virgins being gathered a second time, then Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king; 20 Esther is not declaring her kindred and her people, as Mordecai hath laid a charge upon her, and the saying of Mordecai Esther is doing as when she was truly with him.
21 In those days, when Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king, hath Bigthan been wroth, and Teresh, (two of the eunuchs of the king, the keepers of the threshold,) and they seek to put forth a hand on king Ahasuerus, 22 and the thing is known to Mordecai, and he declareth 'it' to Esther the queen, and Esther speaketh to the king in the name of Mordecai, 23 and the thing is sought out, and found, and they are hanged both of them on a tree, and it is written in the book of the Chronicles before the king.
51 And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 and did keep back of the price—his wife also knowing—and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid 'it'. 3 And Peter said, 'Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place? 4 while it remained, did it not remain thine? and having been sold, in thy authority was it not? why 'is' it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing? thou didst not lie to men, but to God;' 5 and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things, 6 and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried 'him'. 7 And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in, 8 and Peter answered her, 'Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, 'Yes, for so much.' 9 And Peter said unto her, 'How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband 'are' at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;' 10 and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried 'her' by her husband; 11 and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things.
12 And through the hands of the apostles came many signs and wonders among the people, and they were with one accord all in the porch of Solomon; 13 and of the rest no one was daring to join himself to them, but the people were magnifying them, 14 (and the more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,) 15 so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay 'them' upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even 'his' shadow might overshadow some one of them; 16 and there were coming together also the people of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bearing ailing persons, and those harassed by unclean spirits—who were all healed.
17 And having risen, the chief priest, and all those with him—being the sect of the Sadducees—were filled with zeal, 18 and laid their hands upon the apostles, and did put them in a public prison; 19 and a messenger of the Lord through the night opened the doors of the prison, having also brought them forth, he said, 20 'Go on, and standing, speak in the temple to the people all the sayings of this life;' 21 and having heard, they did enter at the dawn into the temple, and were teaching. And the chief priest having come, and those with him, they called together the sanhedrim and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have them brought,
(Read Acts 5:1-11)
The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were ambitious of being thought eminent disciples, when they were not true disciples. Hypocrites may deny themselves, may forego their worldly advantage in one instance, with a prospect of finding their account in something else. They were covetous of the wealth of the world, and distrustful of God and his providence. They thought they might serve both God and mammon. They thought to deceive the apostles. The Spirit of God in Peter discerned the principle of unbelief reigning in the heart of Ananias. But whatever Satan might suggest, he could not have filled the heart of Ananias with this wickedness had he not been consenting. The falsehood was an attempt to deceive the Spirit of truth, who so manifestly spoke and acted by the apostles. The crime of Ananias was not his retaining part of the price of the land; he might have kept it all, had he pleased; but his endeavouring to impose upon the apostles with an awful lie, from a desire to make a vain show, joined with covetousness. But if we think to put a cheat upon God, we shall put a fatal cheat upon our own souls. How sad to see those relations who should quicken one another to that which is good, hardening one another in that which is evil! And this punishment was in reality mercy to vast numbers. It would cause strict self-examination, prayer, and dread of hypocrisy, covetousness, and vain-glory, and it should still do so. It would prevent the increase of false professors. Let us learn hence how hateful falsehood is to the God of truth, and not only shun a direct lie, but all advantages from the use of doubtful expressions, and double meaning in our speech.
(Read Acts 5:12-16)
The separation of hypocrites by distinguishing judgments, should make the sincere cleave closer to each other and to the gospel ministry. Whatever tends to the purity and reputation of the church, promotes its enlargement; but that power alone which wrought such miracles by the apostles, can rescue sinners from the power of sin and Satan, and add believers to His worshippers. Christ will work by all his faithful servants; and every one who applies to him shall be healed.
(Read Acts 5:17-25)
There is no prison so dark, so strong, but God can visit his people in it, and, if he pleases, fetch them out. Recoveries from sickness, releases out of trouble, are granted, not that we may enjoy the comforts of life, but that God may be honoured with the services of our life. It is not for the preachers of Christ's gospel to retire into corners, as long as they can have any opportunity of preaching in the great congregation. They must preach to the lowest, whose souls are as precious to Christ as the souls of the greatest. Speak to all, for all are concerned. Speak as those who resolve to stand to it, to live and die by it. Speak all the words of this heavenly, divine life, in comparison with which the present earthly life does not deserve the name. These words of life, which the Holy Ghost puts into your mouth. The words of the gospel are the words of life; words whereby we may be saved. How wretched are those who are vexed at the success of the gospel! They cannot but see that the word and power of the Lord are against them; and they tremble for the consequences, yet they will go on.
