Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. {altereth not: Chaldee, passeth not}

Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

If it please the king, let there go 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. {If it...: Heb. If it be good with the king} {unto...: Heb. unto her companion} {from him: Heb. from before him} {be not...: Heb. pass not away}

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew {them} into the marketplace unto the rulers, {marketplace: or, court}

And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse {him}, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians {is}, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal {it} with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: {dulcimer: or, singing: Chaldee, symphony}

Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. {altereth not: Chaldee, passeth not}

Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that {were} over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and {to} every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. {scribes: or, secretaries}