Psalm 8^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] A psalm of David.

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old^(A) when he entered the service^(B) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. ⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance^(C) 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.^(D) 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;^(E) 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.^{(F) 51} Joseph named his firstborn^(G) Manasseh^[a](H) 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^[b](I) and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful^(J) 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^(K) began,^(L) 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,^(M) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”^(N)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(O) for the famine^(P) was severe throughout Egypt.^{(Q) 57} And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,^(R) because the famine was severe everywhere.^(S)

⁸ Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!^(A) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! ⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^(B) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^(C) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ,^(D) but you are so wise in Christ!^(E) We are weak, but you are strong!^(F) You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^{(G) 12} We work hard with our own hands.^(H) When we are cursed, we bless;^(I) when we are persecuted,^(J) we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage^(K) of the world—right up to this moment.

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you^(L) but to warn you as my dear children.^{(M) 15} Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^(N) through the gospel.^{(O) 16} Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^{(P) 17} For this reason I have sent to you^(Q) Timothy,^(R) my son^(S) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(T)

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant,^(U) as if I were not coming to you.^{(V) 19} But I will come to you very soon,^(W) if the Lord is willing,^(X) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(Y) talk but of power.^{(Z) 21} What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^(AA) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

Crowds Follow Jesus^(A)

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.^{(B) 8} When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.^{(C) 9} Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many,^(D) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.^{(E) 11} Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”^{(F) 12} But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.^(G)

Jesus Appoints the Twelve^(H)

¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.^{(I) 14} He appointed twelve^[a](J) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and to have authority to drive out demons.^{(K) 16} These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),^{(L) 17} James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.