Psalm 5^[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

Psalm 147

¹⁶ When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,^(A) Pharaoh and all his officials^(B) were pleased.^{(C) 17} Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals^(D) and return to the land of Canaan,^{(E) 18} and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt^(F) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’^(G)

¹⁹ “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts^(H) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. ²⁰ Never mind about your belongings,^(I) because the best of all Egypt^(J) will be yours.’”

²¹ So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,^(K) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.^{(L) 22} To each of them he gave new clothing,^(M) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels^[a] of silver and five sets of clothes.^{(N) 23} And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys^(O) loaded with the best things^(P) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.^{(Q) 24} Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”^(R)

²⁵ So they went up out of Egypt^(S) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.^{(T) 26} They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”^(U) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.^{(V) 27} But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts^(W) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. ²⁸ And Israel said, “I’m convinced!^(X) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”^(Y)

Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:^(A) We know that “We all possess knowledge.”^(B) But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. ² Those who think they know something^(C) do not yet know as they ought to know.^{(D) 3} But whoever loves God is known by God.^[a](E)

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:^(F) We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”^(G) and that “There is no God but one.”^{(H) 5} For even if there are so-called gods,^(I) whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God,^(J) the Father,^(K) from whom all things came^(L) and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord,^(M) Jesus Christ, through whom all things came^(N) and through whom we live.

⁷ But not everyone possesses this knowledge.^(O) Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak,^(P) it is defiled. ⁸ But food does not bring us near to God;^(Q) we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block^(R) to the weak.^{(S) 10} For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?^{(T) 11} So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed^(U) by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against them^(V) in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.^{(W) 13} Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.^(X)

¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil^(A) and healed them.

John the Baptist Beheaded^(B)(C)

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,^[a] “John the Baptist^(D) has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ Others said, “He is Elijah.”^(E)

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet,^(F) like one of the prophets of long ago.”^(G)

¹⁶ But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison.^(H) He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”^{(I) 19} So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, ²⁰ because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man.^(J) When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled^[b]; yet he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet^(K) for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.^{(L) 22} When the daughter of^[c] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”^(M)

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.