²⁸ Now Jacob sent Judah^(A) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.^(B) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, ²⁹ Joseph had his chariot^(C) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.^(D) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father^[a] and wept^(E) for a long time.^(F)

³⁰ Israel^(G) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”^(H)

³¹ Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan,^(I) have come to me.^{(J) 32} The men are shepherds;^(K) they tend livestock,^(L) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’^{(M) 33} When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’^{(N) 34} you should answer, ‘Your servants^(O) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’^(P) Then you will be allowed to settle^(Q) in the region of Goshen,^(R) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.^(S)”

47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan^(T) and are now in Goshen.”^{(U) 2} He chose five of his brothers and presented them^(V) before Pharaoh.

³ Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”^(W)

“Your servants^(X) are shepherds,^(Y)” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” ⁴ They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while,^(Z) because the famine is severe in Canaan^(AA) and your servants’ flocks have no pasture.^(AB) So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”^(AC)

⁵ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, ⁶ and the land of Egypt is before you; settle^(AD) your father and your brothers in the best part of the land.^(AE) Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability,^(AF) put them in charge of my own livestock.^(AG)”

⁷ Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him^(AH) before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed^[b] Pharaoh,^{(AI) 8} Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty.^(AJ) My years have been few and difficult,^(AK) and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.^(AL)” ¹⁰ Then Jacob blessed^[c] Pharaoh^(AM) and went out from his presence.

¹¹ So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land,^(AN) the district of Rameses,^(AO) as Pharaoh directed. ¹² Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.^(AP)

³⁶ Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”

“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.

But the priest said, “Let us inquire^(A) of God here.”

³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer^(B) him that day.

³⁸ Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed^(C) today. ³⁹ As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives,^(D) even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan,^(E) he must die.”^(F) But not one of them said a word.

⁴⁰ Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”

“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

⁴¹ Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,^[a] respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast the lot^(G) between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”^(H)

So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey^(I) with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”

⁴⁴ Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(J) if you do not die, Jonathan.^(K)”

⁴⁵ But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair^(L) of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued^(M) Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

⁴⁶ Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

⁴⁷ After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab,^(N) the Ammonites,^(O) Edom,^(P) the kings^[b] of Zobah,^(Q) and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.^{[c] 48} He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites,^(R) delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

Saul’s Family

⁴⁹ Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua.^(S) The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal.^{(T) 50} His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner^(U) son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle.^{(V) 51} Saul’s father Kish^(W) and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.

⁵² All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took^(X) him into his service.

³¹ “You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord:

Psalm 10^[a]

The Plot Against Jesus^(A)

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,^(B) he said to his disciples, ² “As you know, the Passover^(C) is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled^(D) in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,^{(E) 4} and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(F) 5} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot^(G) among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(H)(I)

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany^(J) in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you,^[a](K) but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.^{(L) 13} Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

1 James,^(A) a servant of God^(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes^(C) scattered^(D) among the nations:

Greetings.^(E)

Trials and Temptations

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,^{(F) 3} because you know that the testing of your faith^(G) produces perseverance.^{(H) 4} Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature^(I) and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,^(J) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.^{(K) 6} But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,^(L) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded^(M) and unstable^(N) in all they do.

⁹ Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.^{(O) 10} But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.^{(P) 11} For the sun rises with scorching heat^(Q) and withers^(R) the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.^(S) In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial^(T) because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life^(U) that the Lord has promised to those who love him.^(V)

¹³ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own^(W) evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;^(X) and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.^(Y)

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived,^(Z) my dear brothers and sisters.^{(AA) 17} Every good and perfect gift is from above,^(AB) coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,^(AC) who does not change^(AD) like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth^(AE) through the word of truth,^(AF) that we might be a kind of firstfruits^(AG) of all he created.