Psalm 37^[a]

Of David.

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”^(A) But his brothers were not able to answer him,^(B) because they were terrified at his presence.^(C)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(D) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(E) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(F) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(G) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(H) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(I) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant^(J) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](K)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(L) He made me father^(M) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^{(N) 9} Now hurry^(O) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.^{(P) 10} You shall live in the region of Goshen^(Q) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^{(R) 11} I will provide for you there,^(S) because five years of famine^(T) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^(U)

¹⁵ And he kissed^(A) all his brothers and wept over them.^(B) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(C)

The Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will ask,^(A) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”^{(B) 36} How foolish!^(C) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.^{(D) 37} When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.^(E)

⁴² So will it be^(A) with the resurrection of the dead.^(B) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;^{(C) 43} it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;^(D) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.^(E)

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”^[a];^(F) the last Adam,^(G) a life-giving spirit.^{(H) 46} The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.^{(I) 47} The first man was of the dust of the earth;^(J) the second man is of heaven.^{(K) 48} As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.^{(L) 49} And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,^(M) so shall we^[b] bear the image of the heavenly man.^(N)

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood^(O) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,^(P) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^(Q)

Love for Enemies^(A)

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,^{(B) 28} bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.^{(C) 29} If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.^{(D) 31} Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(E)

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?^(F) Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(G) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(H) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(I) of the Most High,^(J) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(K) just as your Father^(L) is merciful.

Judging Others^(M)

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.^(N) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.^{(O) 38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.^(P) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”^(Q)