¹⁹ Then the angel of God,^(A) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud^(B) also moved from in front and stood behind^(C) them, ²⁰ coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness^(D) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand^(E) over the sea,^(F) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind^(G) and turned it into dry land.^(H) The waters were divided,^{(I) 22} and the Israelites went through the sea^(J) on dry ground,^(K) with a wall^(L) of water on their right and on their left.

²³ The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen^(M) followed them into the sea. ²⁴ During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud^(N) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.^{(O) 25} He jammed^[a] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting^(P) for them against Egypt.”^(Q)

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.^(R) The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.^{(S) 28} The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.^(T) Not one of them survived.^(U)

²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,^(V) with a wall^(W) of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved^(X) Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand^(Y) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared^(Z) the Lord and put their trust^(AA) in him and in Moses his servant.

Psalm 114

The Song of Moses and Miriam

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song^(A) to the Lord:

²⁰ Then Miriam^(A) the prophet,^(B) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels^(C) and dancing.^{(D) 21} Miriam sang^(E) to them:

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge^(A) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”^{(B) 16} So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions^(C) before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins^(D) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’^(E) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.^(F)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.^(G)

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.^(H) “We are your slaves,”^(I) they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(J) 20} You intended to harm me,^(K) but God intended^(L) it for good^(M) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(N) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(O)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(P) to them.

Psalm 103

Of David.

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,^(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. ² One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.^{(B) 3} The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt^(C) the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge^(D) the one who does, for God has accepted them. ⁴ Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?^(E) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

⁵ One person considers one day more sacred than another;^(F) another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. ⁶ Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;^(G) and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives for ourselves alone,^(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. ⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.^{(I) 9} For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life^(J) so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.^(K)

¹⁰ You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister^[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt?^(L) For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.^{(M) 11} It is written:

¹² So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.^(P)