The Hebrew word translated wine in Genesis 14:18 is “yayin.” This word is used over 130 times in the Hebrew Bible to mean fermented wine, not grape juice. Alcohol is advised for medicinal purposes. Paul told Timothy, “No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” (cf. Pro. 31:6; Mk. 15:23; Lk. 10:34). Wine was used in the Old Testament ceremonies of worship (Ex. 29:40; Lev. 23:13; Num. 15:5). Wine is described positively in the Bible (Gen. 27:28; Psm. 104:15; Psm. 104:14-15; Pro. 3:10; Ecc. 9:7; Jo. 2:24). Water needed to be purified in the biblical times so wine was added to it. And although the alcohol content was less than today, it was still considered wine and still commonly consumed by the people. I believe Jesus drank this wine (Mt. 11:18-19), made a better wine during His first miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11) and used wine when He instituted the Lord’s Supper (Mt. 26:29). Yes, people like Daniel (Dan. 1:8) made a choice to abstain. Others like the Nazirites (Num. 6:3; Lk. 1:5) and the Levites (Lev. 10:9) were commanded to go without alcohol. Kings are advised to avoid it (Pr. 31:4-5). Yet I do not believe Scripture necessarily forbids a Christian from drinking alcohol. Consuming alcohol may be a sin. But I believe to declare that drinking alcohol is always a sin is a legalistic addition and should be avoided. We are free to abstain from alcohol. I personally think that’s the best position. But we are not free to condemn those who choose to drink in moderation as being either sinful or less spiritual.
Randy Smith

Bible – FREE Online Maori. Esther Chapter 8:1-17.

Main Index: Maori

 

Esther 8

[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]

8:1 ¶ No taua ra ka homai e Kingi Ahahueruha ki a Kuini Ehetere te whare o Hamana, hoariri o nga Hurai. A ka haere a Mororekai ki te aroaro o te kingi, na Ehetere hoki i whakaatu he whanaunga ia nona.

8:2 E unuhia ana e te kingi tona mowhiti i tangohia mai nei e ia i a Hamana, a hoatu ana ki a Mororekai; a i whakanohoia a Mororekai e Ehetere ki te whare o Hamana.

8:3 ¶ A i korero ano a Ehetere ki te aroaro o te kingi, me te takoto ano ki ona waewae, me te tangi ano, i inoi ki a ia kia karohia te kino a Hamana Akaki, me te whakaaro i whakaaro ai ia mo nga Hurai.

8:4 Katahi ka torona atu e te kingi te hepeta koura ki a Ehetere. Heoi ka whakatika a Ehetere, ka tu ki te aroaro o te kingi,

8:5 A ka mea, Ki te pai te kingi, ki te manakohia hoki ahau e ia, ki te mea he tika tenei mea ki to te kingi whakaaro, ki te mea he pai ahau ki tana titiro, me tuhituhi kia whakataka nga pukapuka i whakaaroa e Hamana tama a Hamerata Akaki ana i tuhit uhi ai kia huna nga Hurai i nga kawanatanga katoa a te kingi.

8:6 Me pehea hoki e ahei ai ahau te titiro ki te he e pa ki toku iwi? me pehea hoki e ahei ai ahau te titiro ki te hunanga o oku whanaunga?

8:7 Ano ra ko Kingi Ahahueruha ki a Kuini Ehetere raua ko Mororekai Hurai, Nana, kua oti te hoatu e ahau ki a Ehetere te whare o Hamana; kua oti ano tera te tarona ki runga ki te rakau mo tona ringa i totoro ki nga Hurai.

8:8 Ma korua ano e tuhituhi ta korua e pai ai mo nga Hurai, i runga i te ingoa o te kingi, hiri rawa ki te mowhiti o te kingi: he tuhituhi hoki i tuhituhia i runga i te ingoa o te kingi, a i hiritia ki te mowhiti o te kingi, e kore e whakataka.

8:9 Katahi ka karangatia nga karaipi a te kingi i taua wa, i te toru o nga marama, ara i te marama Hiwana, i te rua tekau ma toru o nga ra o taua marama; a ka tuhituhia nga mea katoa i whakahau ai a Mororekai ki nga Hurai, ki nga kawana, ratou ko nga kawana iti, ko nga rangatira ano o nga kawanatanga, o Inia mai ano a tae noa ki Etiopia, kotahi rau e rua tekau ma whitu nga kawanatanga; ki tenei kawanatanga, ki tenei kawanatanga, he mea whakarite ki ta ratou tuhituhi; ki tenei iwi, ki tenei iwi, he mea whakarite ano ki to ratou reo; ki nga Hurai ano, he mea whakarite ki ta ratou tuhituhi, ki to ratou reo.

8:10 Tuhituhia ana e ia i runga i te ingoa o Kingi Ahahueruha, hiri rawa ki te mowhiti o te kingi, a tukua ana nga pukapuka kia maua e nga kaikawe pukapuka i runga hoiho, i eke i runga i nga kararehe tere o nga mahi a te kingi, he momo:

8:11 E mea ana i roto te tukunga a te kingi i nga Hurai o nga pa katoa kia huihui, kia tu ki runga, kia ora ai ratou, kia whakangaro, kia whakamate, kia huna i nga ope katoa o te iwi o te kawanatanga e tauria ai ratou ko a ratou kohungahunga, ko a ra tou wahine, kia pahua hoki i o ratou taonga hei mea parakete,

8:12 I taua ra kotahi i nga kawanatanga katoa a Kingi Ahahueruha, ara i te tekau ma toru o nga ra o te tekau ma rua o nga marama, koia nei te marama Arara.

8:13 I whakapuakina ki nga iwi katoa nga kupu i tuhituhia mo te ture kia whakatakotoria i nga kawanatanga katoa, kia mataara ai nga Hurai i taua ra ki te rapu utu i o ratou hoariri.

8:14 Heoi haere ana nga kaikawe pukapuka, he mea waha e nga kararehe tere o nga mahi a te kingi, he mea whakahohoro, he mea akiaki e te kupu a te kingi. I homai ano te ture i Huhana, i te whare kingi.

8:15 ¶ Na haere ana a Mororekai i te aroaro o te kingi, ko tona kakahu he kakahu kingi, he puru, he ma, me te karauna koura nui, me tetahi kakahu hoki he rinena pai, he papura. Na hamama ana, hari ana te pa, a Huhana.

8:16 Na ko nga Hurai i maha, i koa, me te hari me te honore.

8:17 I nga kawanatanga katoa ano, i nga pa katoa i nga wahi i tae ai te kupu a te kingi me tana ture, he hari, he koa to nga Hurai, he kai hakari, he ra pai. A he tokomaha o nga iwi o te whenua i mea i a ratou hei Hurai; i tau hoki te wehi o nga Hura i ki a ratou.