GENESIS 39:1- 41:16
MATTHEW 12:46- 13:23
PSALM 17:1- 15
PROVERBS 3:33- 35
Now when Joseph arrived in Egypt with the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, a member of the personal staff of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was the captain of the palace guard. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 So Joseph naturally became quite a favorite with him. Potiphar soon put Joseph in charge of his entire household and entrusted him with all his business dealings. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge, the LORD began to bless Potiphar for Joseph's sake. All his household affairs began to run smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn't have a worry in the world, except to decide what he wanted to eat! Now Joseph was a very handsome and well- built young man. 7 And about this time, Potiphar's wife began to desire him and invited him to sleep with her. 8 But Joseph refused. "Look," he told her, "my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do! He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I ever do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God." 10 She kept putting pressure on him day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he was doing his work inside the house. 12 She came and grabbed him by his shirt, demanding, "Sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but as he did, his shirt came off. She was left holding it as he ran from the house. 13 When she saw that she had his shirt and that he had fled, 14 she began screaming. Soon all the men around the place came running. "My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to insult us!" she sobbed. "He tried to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard my loud cries, he ran and left his shirt behind with me." 16 She kept the shirt with her, and when her husband came home that night, 17 she told him her story. "That Hebrew slave you've had around here tried to make a fool of me," she said. 18 "I was saved only by my screams. He ran out, leaving his shirt behind!" 19 After hearing his wife's story, Potiphar was furious! 20 He took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph there, too, and he granted Joseph favor with the chief jailer. 22 Before long, the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The chief jailer had no more worries after that, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him, making everything run smoothly and successfully. 40:1 SOME time later, Pharaoh's chief cup- bearer and chief baker offended him. 2 Pharaoh became very angry with these officials, 3 and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. 4 They remained in prison for quite some time, and Potiphar assigned Joseph to take care of them. 5 One night the cupbearer and the baker each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 The next morning Joseph noticed the dejected look on their faces. 7 "Why do you look so worried today?" he asked. 8 And they replied, "We both had dreams last night, but there is no one here to tell us what they mean." "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph replied. "Tell me what you saw." 9 The cupbearer told his dream first. "In my dream," he said, "I saw a vine in front of me. 10 It had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon there were clusters of ripe grapes. 11 I was holding Pharaoh's wine cup in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into it. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand." 12 "I know what the dream means," Joseph said. "The three branches mean three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will take you out of prison and return you to your position as his chief cupbearer. 14 And please have some pity on me when you are back in his favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and ask him to let me out of here. 15 For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in jail, but I did nothing to deserve it." 16 When the chief baker saw that the first dream had such a good meaning, he told his dream to Joseph, too. "In my dream," he said, "there were three baskets of pastries on my head. 17 In the top basket were all kinds of bakery goods for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them." 18 "I'll tell you what it means," Joseph told him. "The three baskets mean three days. 19 Three days from now Pharaoh will cut off your head and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh." 20 Pharaoh's birthday came three days later, and he gave a banquet for all his officials and household staff. He sent for his chief cupbearer and chief baker, and they were brought to him from the prison. 21 He then restored the chief cupbearer to his former position, 22 but he sentenced the chief baker to be impaled on a pole, just as Joseph had predicted. 23 Pharaoh's cupbearer, however, promptly forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. 41:1 TWO years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. 2 In his dream, seven fat, healthy- looking cows suddenly came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. 3 Then seven other cows came up from the river, but these were very ugly and gaunt. These cows went over and stood beside the fat cows. 4 Then the thin, ugly cows ate the fat ones! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up. 5 Soon he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel well formed and plump. 6 Then suddenly, seven more heads appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind. 7 And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well- formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream. 8 The next morning, as he thought about it, Pharaoh became very concerned as to what the dreams might mean. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them about his dreams, but not one of them could suggest what they meant. 9 Then the king's cup- bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he said. 10 "Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. 11 One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had a meaning. 12 We told the dreams to a young Hebrew man who was a servant of the captain of the guard. He told us what each of our dreams meant, 13 and everything happened just as he said it would. I was restored to my position as cup- bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole." 14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily from the dungeon. After a quick shave and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh's presence. 15 "I had a dream last night," Pharaoh told him, "and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called for you." 16 "It is beyond my power to do this," Joseph replied. "But God will tell you what it means and will set you at ease."
As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him. 47 Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." 48 Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!" 13:1 LATER that same day, Jesus left the house and went down to the shore, 2 where an immense crowd soon gathered. He got into a boat, where he sat and taught as the people listened on the shore. 3 He told many stories such as this one:"A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, 6 but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. 8 But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. 9 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!" 10 His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you always tell stories when you talk to the people?" 11 Then he explained to them, "You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. 12 To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don't really see. They hear what I say, but they don't really hear, and they don't understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says:`You will hear my words,
but you will not understand;
you will see what I do,
but you will not perceive its meaning.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes--
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them. '
16" But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I assure you, many prophets and godly people have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not. 18 "Now here is the explanation of the story I told about the farmer sowing grain:19 The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts. 20 The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. 21 But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. 22 The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced. 23 The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a huge harvest-- thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."
A prayer of David.
1 O LORD, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from an honest heart.
2 Declare me innocent,
for you know those who do right.
3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
You have scrutinized me and found nothing amiss,
for I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4 I have followed your commands,
which have kept me from going along with cruel and evil people.
5 My steps have stayed on your path;
I have not wavered from following you.
6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
You save with your strength
those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8 Guard me as the apple of your eye.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
from murderous enemies who surround me.
10 They are without pity.
Listen to their boasting.
11 They track me down, surround me,
and throw me to the ground.
12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart--
like young lions in hiding, waiting for their chance.
13 Arise, O LORD!
Stand against them and bring them to their knees!
Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
14 Save me by your mighty hand, O LORD,
from those whose only concern is earthly gain.
May they have their punishment in full.
May their children inherit more of the same,
and may the judgment continue to their children's children.
15 But because I have done what is right, I will see you.
When I awake, I will be fully satisfied,
for I will see you face to face.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but his blessing is on the home of the upright. The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame
MATTHEW 12:46- 13:23
PSALM 17:1- 15
PROVERBS 3:33- 35
Now when Joseph arrived in Egypt with the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, a member of the personal staff of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was the captain of the palace guard. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 So Joseph naturally became quite a favorite with him. Potiphar soon put Joseph in charge of his entire household and entrusted him with all his business dealings. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge, the LORD began to bless Potiphar for Joseph's sake. All his household affairs began to run smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn't have a worry in the world, except to decide what he wanted to eat! Now Joseph was a very handsome and well- built young man. 7 And about this time, Potiphar's wife began to desire him and invited him to sleep with her. 8 But Joseph refused. "Look," he told her, "my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do! He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I ever do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God." 10 She kept putting pressure on him day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he was doing his work inside the house. 12 She came and grabbed him by his shirt, demanding, "Sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but as he did, his shirt came off. She was left holding it as he ran from the house. 13 When she saw that she had his shirt and that he had fled, 14 she began screaming. Soon all the men around the place came running. "My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to insult us!" she sobbed. "He tried to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard my loud cries, he ran and left his shirt behind with me." 16 She kept the shirt with her, and when her husband came home that night, 17 she told him her story. "That Hebrew slave you've had around here tried to make a fool of me," she said. 18 "I was saved only by my screams. He ran out, leaving his shirt behind!" 19 After hearing his wife's story, Potiphar was furious! 20 He took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph there, too, and he granted Joseph favor with the chief jailer. 22 Before long, the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The chief jailer had no more worries after that, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him, making everything run smoothly and successfully. 40:1 SOME time later, Pharaoh's chief cup- bearer and chief baker offended him. 2 Pharaoh became very angry with these officials, 3 and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. 4 They remained in prison for quite some time, and Potiphar assigned Joseph to take care of them. 5 One night the cupbearer and the baker each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 The next morning Joseph noticed the dejected look on their faces. 7 "Why do you look so worried today?" he asked. 8 And they replied, "We both had dreams last night, but there is no one here to tell us what they mean." "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph replied. "Tell me what you saw." 9 The cupbearer told his dream first. "In my dream," he said, "I saw a vine in front of me. 10 It had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon there were clusters of ripe grapes. 11 I was holding Pharaoh's wine cup in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into it. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand." 12 "I know what the dream means," Joseph said. "The three branches mean three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will take you out of prison and return you to your position as his chief cupbearer. 14 And please have some pity on me when you are back in his favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and ask him to let me out of here. 15 For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in jail, but I did nothing to deserve it." 16 When the chief baker saw that the first dream had such a good meaning, he told his dream to Joseph, too. "In my dream," he said, "there were three baskets of pastries on my head. 17 In the top basket were all kinds of bakery goods for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them." 18 "I'll tell you what it means," Joseph told him. "The three baskets mean three days. 19 Three days from now Pharaoh will cut off your head and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh." 20 Pharaoh's birthday came three days later, and he gave a banquet for all his officials and household staff. He sent for his chief cupbearer and chief baker, and they were brought to him from the prison. 21 He then restored the chief cupbearer to his former position, 22 but he sentenced the chief baker to be impaled on a pole, just as Joseph had predicted. 23 Pharaoh's cupbearer, however, promptly forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. 41:1 TWO years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. 2 In his dream, seven fat, healthy- looking cows suddenly came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. 3 Then seven other cows came up from the river, but these were very ugly and gaunt. These cows went over and stood beside the fat cows. 4 Then the thin, ugly cows ate the fat ones! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up. 5 Soon he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel well formed and plump. 6 Then suddenly, seven more heads appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind. 7 And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well- formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream. 8 The next morning, as he thought about it, Pharaoh became very concerned as to what the dreams might mean. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them about his dreams, but not one of them could suggest what they meant. 9 Then the king's cup- bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he said. 10 "Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. 11 One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had a meaning. 12 We told the dreams to a young Hebrew man who was a servant of the captain of the guard. He told us what each of our dreams meant, 13 and everything happened just as he said it would. I was restored to my position as cup- bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole." 14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily from the dungeon. After a quick shave and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh's presence. 15 "I had a dream last night," Pharaoh told him, "and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called for you." 16 "It is beyond my power to do this," Joseph replied. "But God will tell you what it means and will set you at ease."
As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him. 47 Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." 48 Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!" 13:1 LATER that same day, Jesus left the house and went down to the shore, 2 where an immense crowd soon gathered. He got into a boat, where he sat and taught as the people listened on the shore. 3 He told many stories such as this one:"A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, 6 but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. 8 But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. 9 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!" 10 His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you always tell stories when you talk to the people?" 11 Then he explained to them, "You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. 12 To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don't really see. They hear what I say, but they don't really hear, and they don't understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says:`You will hear my words,
but you will not understand;
you will see what I do,
but you will not perceive its meaning.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes--
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them. '
16" But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I assure you, many prophets and godly people have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not. 18 "Now here is the explanation of the story I told about the farmer sowing grain:19 The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts. 20 The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. 21 But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. 22 The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced. 23 The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a huge harvest-- thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."
A prayer of David.
1 O LORD, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from an honest heart.
2 Declare me innocent,
for you know those who do right.
3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
You have scrutinized me and found nothing amiss,
for I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4 I have followed your commands,
which have kept me from going along with cruel and evil people.
5 My steps have stayed on your path;
I have not wavered from following you.
6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
You save with your strength
those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8 Guard me as the apple of your eye.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
from murderous enemies who surround me.
10 They are without pity.
Listen to their boasting.
11 They track me down, surround me,
and throw me to the ground.
12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart--
like young lions in hiding, waiting for their chance.
13 Arise, O LORD!
Stand against them and bring them to their knees!
Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
14 Save me by your mighty hand, O LORD,
from those whose only concern is earthly gain.
May they have their punishment in full.
May their children inherit more of the same,
and may the judgment continue to their children's children.
15 But because I have done what is right, I will see you.
When I awake, I will be fully satisfied,
for I will see you face to face.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but his blessing is on the home of the upright. The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame
