³⁷ The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.^{(A) 38} So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God^[a]?”^(B)

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you,^(C) there is no one so discerning and wise as you.^{(D) 40} You shall be in charge of my palace,^(E) and all my people are to submit to your orders.^(F) Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.^(G)”

Joseph in Charge of Egypt

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”^{(H) 42} Then Pharaoh took his signet ring^(I) from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes^(J) of fine linen^(K) and put a gold chain around his neck.^{(L) 43} He had him ride in a chariot^(M) as his second-in-command,^[b](N) and people shouted before him, “Make way^[c]!”^(O) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.^(P)

⁴⁴ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”^{(Q) 45} Pharaoh gave Joseph^(R) the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest^(S) of On,^[d](T) to be his wife.^(U) And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old^(V) when he entered the service^(W) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. ⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance^(X) the land produced plentifully. ⁴⁸ Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities.^(Y) In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. ⁴⁹ Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;^(Z) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.^{(AA) 51} Joseph named his firstborn^(AB) Manasseh^[e](AC) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” ⁵² The second son he named Ephraim^[f](AD) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful^(AE) in the land of my suffering.”

⁵³ The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine^(AF) began,^(AG) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. ⁵⁵ When all Egypt began to feel the famine,^(AH) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”^(AI)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(AJ) for the famine^(AK) was severe throughout Egypt.^{(AL) 57} And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,^(AM) because the famine was severe everywhere.^(AN)

¹⁹ But God struck down^(A) some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy^[a] of them to death because they looked^(B) into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them. ²⁰ And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand^(C) in the presence of the Lord, this holy^(D) God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”

²¹ Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim,^(E) saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to your town.” 7 ¹ So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark^(F) of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s^(G) house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. ² The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim^(H) a long time—twenty years in all.

Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.^{(I) 3} So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning^(J) to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid^(K) yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths^(L) and commit^(M) yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,^(N) and he will deliver^(O) you out of the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

⁵ Then Samuel^(P) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,^(Q) and I will intercede^(R) with the Lord for you.” ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah,^(S) they drew water and poured^(T) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader^[b](U) of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid^(V) because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying^(W) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel^(X) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.^(Y)

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered^(Z) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic^(AA) that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone^(AB) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[c](AC) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(AD) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. ¹⁴ The towns from Ekron^(AE) to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.^(AF)

¹⁵ Samuel^(AG) continued as Israel’s leader^(AH) all^(AI) the days of his life. ¹⁶ From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel^(AJ) to Gilgal^(AK) to Mizpah, judging^(AL) Israel in all those places. ¹⁷ But he always went back to Ramah,^(AM) where his home was, and there he also held court^(AN) for Israel. And he built an altar^(AO) there to the Lord.

Job

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

²⁹ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets^(A) and decorate the graves of the righteous. ³⁰ And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.^{(B) 32} Go ahead, then, and complete^(C) what your ancestors started!^(D)

³³ “You snakes! You brood of vipers!^(E) How will you escape being condemned to hell?^{(F) 34} Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;^(G) others you will flog in your synagogues^(H) and pursue from town to town.^{(I) 35} And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel^(J) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,^(K) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.^{(L) 36} Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.^(M)

³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,^(N) how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,^(O) and you were not willing. ³⁸ Look, your house is left to you desolate.^{(P) 39} For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’^[a]”^(Q)

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times^(R)

24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another;^(S) every one will be thrown down.”

Festus Consults King Agrippa

¹³ A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea^(A) to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.^{(B) 15} When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him^(C) and asked that he be condemned.

¹⁶ “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.^{(D) 17} When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.^{(E) 18} When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. ¹⁹ Instead, they had some points of dispute^(F) with him about their own religion^(G) and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. ²⁰ I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.^{(H) 21} But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”^(I)

²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”^(J)

Paul Before Agrippa^(K)

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice^(L) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community^(M) has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.^{(N) 25} I found he had done nothing deserving of death,^(O) but because he made his appeal to the Emperor^(P) I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”