Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Esther 8
¹⁶ The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere.
¹⁷ In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.
Esther 9
¹ So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies.
² The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.
³ And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai.
⁴ For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.
⁵ So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.
⁶ In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men.
⁷ They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha—