| Vers | English: King James Version | English: World English Bible |
| 1 | Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (thou | And on the third day, when she ended her prayers, she put away her mourning garments and put on her glorious apparel. |
| 2 | The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. | And being gloriously adorned, after she called upon God, who knows all and saves all, she took two maids with her; |
| 3 | And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. | and on the one, she leaned, carrying herself daintily, |
| 4 | For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. | and the other followed, bearing up her train. |
| 5 | Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. | She was ruddy through the perfection of her beauty, and her countenance was cheerful and very amiable, but her heart was in anguish out of fear. |
| 6 | And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. | Then, having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king, who sat upon his royal throne and was clothed with all his robes of majesty, all glittering with gold and precious stones; and he was very dreadful. |
| 7 | And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, | Then, lifting up his countenance which shined with majesty, he looked very fiercely upon her; and the queen fell down and was pale and fainted and bowed herself upon the head of the maid who went before her. |
| 8 | And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, | Then God changed the spirit of the king into mildness, who in a fright leaped from his throne and took her in his arms, till she came to herself again, and comforted her with loving words and said to her, |
| 9 | And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, | "Esther, what is the matter? I am your brother, be of good cheer. |
| 10 | The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand. | You shall not die, though our commandment be general. Come near." |
| 11 | On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. | And so he held up his golden scepter, and laid it upon her neck, |
| 12 | And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall | and embraced her, and said, "Speak to me." |
| 13 | Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. | Then she said to him, "I saw you, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of your majesty. |
| 14 | And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. | For you are wonderful, lord, and your countenance is full of grace." |
| 15 | For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand. | And as she was speaking, she fell down out of faintness. |
| 16 | But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, | Then the king was troubled and all his servants comforted her. [Alternate text from the Hebrew, verses 17-18:] |
| 17 | On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. | Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, next to the king's house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house. |
| 18 | But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof; and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. | When the king saw Esther the queen, standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near, and touched the top of the scepter. |
| 19 | Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another. | Then the king asked her, "What would you like, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to half of the kingdom." |
| 20 | And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, | Esther said, "If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him." |
| 21 | To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, | Then the king said, "Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said." So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. |
| 22 | As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to an | The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be performed." |
| 23 | And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; | Then Esther answered and said, "My petition and my request is this. |
| 24 | Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; | If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said |
| 25 | But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. | Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he didn't stand up or move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. |
| 26 | Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, | Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home. There he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife. |
| 27 | The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time | Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. |
| 28 | And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed | Haman also said, "Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king. |
| 29 | Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. | Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." |
| 30 | And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, | Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet." This pleased Haman, so he |
| 31 | To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry. | |
| 32 | And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book. |