Luke 19:11-27
[11]
As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he
was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God
was to appear immediately. [12] He said therefore, “A nobleman went
into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
[13] Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to
them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ [14] But his citizens hated him
and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to
reign over us.’ [15] When he returned, having received the kingdom, he
ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to
him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. [16] The
first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas
more.’ [17] And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you
have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten
cities.’ [18] And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made
five minas.’ [19] And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five
cities.’ [20] Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which
I kept laid away in a handkerchief; [21] for I was afraid of you,
because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and
reap what you did not sow.’ [22] He said to him, ‘I will condemn you
with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe
man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? [23]
Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might
have collected it with interest?’ [24] And he said to those who stood
by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten
minas.’ [25] And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ [26] ‘I
tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one
who has not, even what he has will be taken away. [27] But as for these
enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here
and slaughter them before me.’”
Titus 2:1-10
[1]
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. [2] Older men
are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in
love, and in steadfastness. [3] Older women likewise are to be reverent
in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach
what is good, [4] and so train the young women to love their husbands
and children, [5] to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind,
and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be
reviled. [6] Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. [7]
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your
teaching show integrity, dignity, [8] and sound speech that cannot be
condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil
to say about us. [9] Bondservants are to be submissive to their own
masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,
[10] not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything
they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Proverbs 15:1-17
[1] A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
[2]
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
[3]
The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
[4]
A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
[5]
A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
[6]
In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
[7]
The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.
[8]
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
[9]
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
[10]
There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
[11]
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!
[12]
A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
[13]
A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
[14]
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
[15]
All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
[16]
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
than great treasure and trouble with it.
[17]
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
Esther 1
[1]
Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to
Ethiopia over 127 provinces, [2] in those days when King Ahasuerus sat
on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, [3] in the third year of his
reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of
Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were
before him, [4] while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the
splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. [5] And when
these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in
Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days
in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. [6] There were white
cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen
and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also 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, vessels
of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the
bounty of the king. [8] And drinking was according to this edict: “There
is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of
his palace to do as each man desired. [9] Queen Vashti also gave a feast
for the women in the palace that 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 and 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 show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely
to look at. [12] But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command
delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his
anger burned within him.
[13]
Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the
king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, [14]
the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the
king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): [15] “According to the law,
what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the
command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” [16] Then Memucan
said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against
the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials
and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
[17] For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing
them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King
Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did
not come.’ [18] This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who
have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s
officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. [19] If it
please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be
written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not
be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus.
And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than
she. [20] So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout
all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their
husbands, high and low alike.” [21] This advice pleased the king and the
princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. [22] He sent letters to
all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to
every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own
household and speak according to the language of his people.
