Formation Journal Reading Plan

1:1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces),

1:2 that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

1:3 in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him;

1:4 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days.

1:5 And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

1:6 There were hangings of white cloth, of green, and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and white, and yellow, and black marble.

1:7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.

1:8 And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.

1:9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

1:10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king wasmerry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

1:11 to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on.

1:12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

1:13 Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment;

1:14 and the next unto him were 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),

1:15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

1:16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

1:17 For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

1:18 And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say the like unto all the king’s princes. So will there arise much contempt and wrath.

1:19 If it please the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.

1:20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.

1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

1:22 for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.

39:1 For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.

39:2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred.

39:3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned: Then spake I with my tongue:

39:4 Jehovah, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how frail I am.

39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. [Selah

39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.

39:8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

39:9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it.

39:10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.

39:11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity.[Selah

39:12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were.

39:13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more.

9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit,

9:2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

9:3 For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren’s sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

9:4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

9:5 whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

9:6 But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel:

9:7 neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

9:8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed.

9:9 For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

9:10 And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac—

9:11 for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,

9:12 it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

9:13 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.

9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy.

9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.

9:18 So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will be hardeneth.

9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will?

9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?

9:21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

9:22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:

9:23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,

9:24 even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

9:25 As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that was not beloved.

9:26 And it shall be, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God.

9:27 And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved:

9:28 for the Lord will execute his word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.

9:29 And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah.