Joseph in Charge of Egypt

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

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

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old^(O) when he entered the service^(P) of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. ⁴⁷ During the seven years of abundance^(Q) 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.^(R) 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;^(S) it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(A) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^{(B) 18} Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.^{(C) 19} Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.^(D) Keeping God’s commands is what counts. ²⁰ Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(E)

²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. ²² For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;^(F) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.^{(G) 23} You were bought at a price;^(H) do not become slaves of human beings. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(I)

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho^(A) and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig^(B) tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.^(C)

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”^(D)

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord,^(E) “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,^(F) I will pay back four times the amount.”^(G)

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.^{(H) 10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”^(I)