11 Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus , the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to [1]Ethiopia over e e provinces , 2 in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa , 3 in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants , the army officers of Persia and Media , the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence . 4 [2]And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days , 180 e days . 5 When these days were completed , the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa , from the greatest to the least , in the court of the garden of the king's palace . 6 There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns , and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry , marble , mother-of-pearl and precious stones . 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds , and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's [3]bounty . 8 The drinking was done according to the law , there was no compulsion , for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person . 9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the [4]palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus .
10 On the seventh day , when the heart of the king was merry with wine , he commanded Mehuman , Biztha , Harbona , Bigtha , Abagtha , Zethar and Carkas , the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus , 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes , for she was beautiful . 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs . Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him. 13 Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times -for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice 14 and were close to him: Carshena , Shethar , Admatha , Tarshish , Meres , Marsena and Memucan , the seven princes of Persia and Media who [5]had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom - 15 "According to law , what is to be done with Queen Vashti , because e she did not [6]obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs ?" 16 In the presence of the king and the princes , Memucan said , "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus . 17 "For the queen's conduct will [7]become known to all the women causing them [8]to look with contempt on their husbands by saying , 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence , but she did not come .' 18 "This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes , and there will be plenty of contempt and anger . 19 "If it pleases the king , let a royal [9]edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot [10]be repealed , that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus , and let the king give her royal position to [11]another who is more worthy than she. 20 "When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom , [12]great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands , great and small ." 21 This word pleased e the king and the princes , and the king did [13]as Memucan proposed . 22 So he sent letters to all the king's provinces , to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language , that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people .
21 After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided , he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. 2 Then the king's attendants , who served him, said , " Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king . 3 "Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa , to the harem e , into the custody of Hegai , the king's eunuch , who is in charge of the women ; and let their cosmetics be given them. 4 "Then let the young lady who pleases e the king be queen in place of Vashti ." And the matter pleased e the king , and he did accordingly . 5 Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai , the son of Jair , the son of Shimei , the son of Kish , a Benjamite e , 6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah , whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled . 7 He was bringing up Hadassah , that is Esther , his uncle's daughter , for she had no father or mother . Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face , and when her father and her mother died , Mordecai took her as his own daughter . 8 So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai , that Esther was taken to the king's palace into the custody of Hegai , who was in charge of the women . 9 Now the young lady pleased e him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food , gave her seven choice maids from the king's palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem e . 10 Esther did not make known her people or her kindred , for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known . 11 Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem e to learn how Esther was and how she fared . 12 Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus , after the end of her twelve e months under the regulations for the women -for the days of their beautification were completed as follows : six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women - 13 the young lady would go in to the king in this way : anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem e to the king's palace . 14 In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem e , to the custody of Shaashgaz , the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines . She would not again go in to the king unless e the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name . 15 Now when the turn of Esther , the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter , came to go in to the king , she did not request anything except e what Hegai , the king's eunuch who was in charge of the women , advised . And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace 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 found favor and kindness with him 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 gave a great banquet , Esther's banquet , for all his princes and his servants ; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's bounty .
19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time , then Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate . 20 Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people , even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care .
21 In those days , while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate , Bigthan and Teresh , two of the king's officials from those who guarded the door , became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus . 22 But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther , and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name . 23 Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows ; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles e in the king's presence .
51 But a man named Ananias , with his wife Sapphira , sold a piece of property , 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge , and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet . 3 But Peter said , "Ananias , why e has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land ? 4 "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold , was it not under your control ? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart ? You have not lied to men but to God ." 5 And as he heard these words , Ananias fell down and breathed his last ; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. 7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours , and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened . 8 And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price ?" And she said , "Yes , that was the price ." 9 Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test ? Behold , the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door , and they will carry you out as well." 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last , and the young men came in and found her dead , and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband . 11 And great fear came over the whole church , and over all who heard of these things .
12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people ; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico . 13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however , the people held them in high esteem . 14 And all the more believers in the Lord , multitudes of men and women , were constantly added to their number, 15 to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets , so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. 16 Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together , bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits , and they were all being healed .
17 But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees ), and they were filled with jealousy . 18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail . 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison , and taking them out he said , 20 "Go , stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life ." 21 Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach . Now when the high priest and his associates came , they called the Council together , even all the Senate of the sons of Israel , and sent orders to the prison house for them to be 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.
