Fasting

15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

15 Toen zeide Esther, dat men Mórdechai weder aanzeggen zou: 16 Ga, vergader al de Joden, die te Susan gevonden worden, en vast voor mij, en eet of drinkt niet, in drie dagen nacht noch dag; ik en mijn jonge dochters zullen ook alzo vasten, en alzo zal ik tot den koning ingaan, hetwelk niet naar de wet is. Wanneer ik dan omkome, zo kom ik om. 17 Toen ging Mórdechai henen, en hij deed naar alles, wat Esther aan hem geboden had.

16 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

16 En wanneer gij vast, toont geen droevig gezicht, gelijk de geveinsden; want zij mismaken hun aangezichten, opdat zij van de mensen mogen gezien worden, als zij vasten. Voorwaar, Ik zeg u, dat zij hun loon weg hebben. 17 Maar gij, als gij vast, zalf uw hoofd, en was uw aangezicht; 18 Opdat het van de mensen niet gezien worde, als gij vast, maar van uw Vader, Die in het verborgen is; en uw Vader, Die in het verborgen ziet, zal het u in het openbaar vergelden.

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. 3And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’” 5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 “Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” 9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,’ 11 and, ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’” 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’” 13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. 14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

5 Evenzo, jongeren, wees aan de ouderen onderdanig; en wees allen elkaar onderdanig. Wees met nederigheid bekleed, want God keert Zich tegen de hoogmoedigen, maar de nederigen geeft Hij genade. 6 Verneder u dan onder de krachtige hand van God, opdat Hij u op Zijn tijd verhoogt. 7 Werp al uw zorgen op Hem, want Hij zorgt voor u. 8 Wees nuchter en waakzaam; want uw tegenpartij, de duivel, gaat rond als een brullende leeuw, op zoek naar wie hij zou kunnen verslinden. 9 Bied weerstand aan hem, vast in het geloof, in de wetenschap dat hetzelfde lijden ook aan al uw broeders in de wereld opgelegd wordt. Zegen, afzender, groeten 10 De God nu van alle genade, Die ons geroepen heeft tot Zijn eeuwige heerlijkheid in Christus Jezus, Hij Zelf moge u – na een korte tijd van lijden – toerusten, bevestigen, versterken en funderen. 11 Hem zij de heerlijkheid en de kracht in alle eeuwigheid. Amen.

1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take hold of buckler and shield And rise up for my help.

3 Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

4 Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

    5Let them be like chaff before the wind,
          With the angel of the LORD driving them on.

    6Let their way be dark and slippery,
          With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

    7For without cause they hid their net for me;
          Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.

    8Let destruction come upon him unawares,
          And let the net which he hid catch himself;
          Into that very destruction let him fall.

    9And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;
          It shall exult in His salvation.

    10All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You,
          Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him,
          And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”

    11Malicious witnesses rise up;
          They ask me of things that I do not know.

    12They repay me evil for good,
          To the bereavement of my soul.

    13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
          I humbled my soul with fasting,
          And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

    14I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
          I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.

    15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
          The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,
          They slandered me without ceasing.

    16Like godless jesters at a feast,
          They gnashed at me with their teeth.

    17Lord, how long will You look on?
          Rescue my soul from their ravages,
          My only life from the lions.

    18I will give You thanks in the great congregation;
          I will praise You among a mighty throng.

    19Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;
          Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.

    20For they do not speak peace,
          But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

    21They opened their mouth wide against me;
          They said, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

    22You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent;
          O Lord, do not be far from me.

    23Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right
          And to my cause, my God and my Lord.

    24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,
          And do not let them rejoice over me.

    25Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!”
          Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

    26Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;
          Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

    27Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;
          And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified,
          Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

    28And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness
          And Your praise all day long.

17 Die zich des armen ontfermt, leent den HEERE, en Hij zal hem zijn weldaad vergelden.