Stories of Strength Through Pain in the Bible

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkEST">
        <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="EST.4.1+EST.4.2+EST.4.3+EST.4.4+EST.4.5+EST.4.6+EST.4.7+EST.4.8+EST.4.9+EST.4.10+EST.4.11+EST.4.12+EST.4.13+EST.4.14+EST.4.15+EST.4.16+EST.4.17">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="EST.4.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EST.4.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">But he went only as far as the king&#8217;s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EST.4.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EST.4.3"></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EST.4.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">When Esther&#8217;s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EST.4.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king&#8217;s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EST.4.5"></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="EST.4.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king&#8217;s gate. </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EST.4.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EST.4.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king&#8217;s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EST.4.8"></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="EST.4.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="EST.4.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EST.4.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">&#8220;All the king&#8217;s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EST.4.11"></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="EST.4.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">When Esther&#8217;s words were reported to Mordecai, </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="EST.4.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">he sent back this answer: &#8220;Do not think that because you are in the king&#8217;s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="EST.4.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father&#8217;s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="EST.4.14"></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="EST.4.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="EST.4.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">&#8220;Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="EST.4.16"></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="EST.4.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther&#8217;s instructions.</span></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkEST">
        <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="EST.4.14">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="EST.4.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father&#8217;s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="EST.4.14"></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkDAN">
        <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="DAN.3.17+DAN.3.18">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="DAN.3.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class="body"><span class="fr">3:17 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and</span></span></span><span class="content"> from Your Majesty&#8217;s hand. </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="DAN.3.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="DAN.3.18"></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkEST">
        <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="EST.5.1+EST.5.2+EST.5.3+EST.5.4">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="EST.5.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king&#8217;s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EST.5.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EST.5.2"></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EST.5.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">Then the king asked, &#8220;What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EST.5.3"></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EST.5.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">&#8220;If it pleases the king,&#8221; replied Esther, &#8220;let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EST.5.4"></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkEST">
        <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="EST.7.1+EST.7.2+EST.7.3+EST.7.4+EST.7.5+EST.7.6+EST.7.7+EST.7.8+EST.7.9+EST.7.10">
            <div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="EST.7.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther&#8217;s banquet, </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EST.7.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, &#8220;Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EST.7.2"></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EST.7.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">Then Queen Esther answered, &#8220;If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life&#8212;this is my petition. And spare my people&#8212;this is my request. </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EST.7.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class="body"><span class="fr">7:4 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">quiet, but the compensation our adversary offers cannot be compared with the loss the king would suffer</span></span></span><span class="content">&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EST.7.4"></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EST.7.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, &#8220;Who is he? Where is he&#8212;the man who has dared to do such a thing?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EST.7.5"></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="EST.7.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">Esther said, &#8220;An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="EST.7.6"><span class="content">Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EST.7.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EST.7.7"></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EST.7.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EST.7.8"><span class="content">The king exclaimed, &#8220;Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EST.7.8"><span class="content">As soon as the word left the king&#8217;s mouth, they covered Haman&#8217;s face. </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="EST.7.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, &#8220;A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class="body"><span class="fr">7:9 </span><span class="ft">That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters</span></span></span><span class="content"> stands by Haman&#8217;s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="EST.7.9"><span class="content">The king said, &#8220;Impale him on it!&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="EST.7.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king&#8217;s fury subsided.</span></span></div>
        </div>
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