Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Esther 9
³⁰ Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes.
³¹ These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.)
³² So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.
Esther 10
¹ King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands.
² His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia.
³ Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.
Job 1
¹ There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.
² He had seven sons and three daughters.
³ He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.
⁴ Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them.
⁵ When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.