Prayer for Help.

Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.

Pharaoh’s Dream

41 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. ² And behold, from the Nile seven cows came up, fine-looking and ^[a]fat; and they grazed in the ^(A)marsh grass. ³ Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and ^[b]thin, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. ⁴ Then the ugly and ^[c]thin cows ate the seven fine-looking and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. ⁵ But he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. ⁶ Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. ⁷ And the thin ears swallowed the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. ⁸ Now in the morning ^(B)his spirit was troubled, so he sent messengers and called for all the ^(C)soothsayer priests of Egypt, and all its ^(D)wise men. And Pharaoh told them his ^[d]dreams, but ^(E)there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of ^(F)my own ^[e]offenses. ¹⁰ Pharaoh was ^(G)furious with his servants, and ^(H)he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. ¹¹ Then ^(I)we had a dream one night, ^[f]he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. ¹² Now a Hebrew youth was there with us, a ^(J)servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we told him the dreams, and ^(K)he interpreted our dreams for us. For each man he interpreted according to his own dream. ¹³ And just ^(L)as he interpreted for us, so it happened; Pharaoh restored me in my office, but he hanged ^[g]the chief baker.”

Servants of Christ

4 This is the way any person is to regard us: as ^(A)servants of Christ and ^(B)stewards of ^(C)the mysteries of God. ² In this case, moreover, it is required ^[a]of stewards that one be found trustworthy. ³ But to me it is an insignificant matter that I would be examined by you, or by any human ^[b]court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. ⁴ For I ^(D)am not aware of anything against myself; however I am not ^(E)vindicated by this, but the one who examines me is the Lord. ⁵ Therefore ^(F)do not go on ^[c]passing judgment before ^[d]the time, but wait ^(G)until the Lord comes, who will both ^(H)bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of human hearts; and then ^(I)praise will come to each person from God.

⁶ Now these things, brothers and sisters, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos on your account, so that in us you may learn not to exceed ^(J)what is written, so that no one of you will ^(K)become ^[e]arrogant ^(L)in behalf of one against the other. ⁷ For who considers you as superior? ^(M)What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Question of the Sabbath

^23 (A)And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while ^(B)picking the heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, ^(C)why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ²⁵ And He *said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the ^[a]time of ^(D)Abiathar the high priest, and ate the ^[b]consecrated bread, which ^(E)is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” ²⁷ Jesus said to them, “^(F)The Sabbath ^[c]was made ^[d]for man, and ^(G)not man ^[e]for the Sabbath. ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 ^(H)He ^(I)entered a synagogue again; and a man was there whose hand was withered. ² And ^(J)they were watching Him ^[f]closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, ^(K)so that they might accuse Him. ³ He *said to the man with the withered hand, “^[g]Get up and come forward!” ⁴ And He *said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ After ^(L)looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately began ^[h]conspiring with the ^(M)Herodians against Him, as to how they might put Him to death.