Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He makes me to rest in green pasture and leads me by the still waters.

³ He restores my soul and leads me in the paths of righteousness, for His Name’s sake.

⁴ Indeed, though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the sight of my adversaries. You anoint my head with oil; and my cup runs over.

⁶ Doubtless, kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall remain in the House of the LORD forever. A Psalm of David.

⁸ Then Israel beheld Joseph’s sons and said, “Whose are these?”

⁹ And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons whom God has given me here.” Then he said, “Please bring them to me, so that I may bless them.”

¹⁰ (For the eyes of Israel were dim from age, so that he could not see well.) Then he caused them to come to him. And he kissed them and embraced them.

¹¹ And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought I would see your face. Yet, lo, God has also shown me your seed.”

¹² And Joseph took them away from his knees and did reverence down to the ground.

¹³ Then Joseph took them both (Ephraim in his right hand, toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh in his left hand, toward Israel’s right hand). So, he brought them to him.

¹⁴ But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head (who was the younger) and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head (directing his hands intentionally, for Manasseh was the elder).

¹⁵ Also, he blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before Whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked—the God Who has fed me all my life long, until this day—bless you.

¹⁶ “The Angel, who has delivered me from all evil, bless the children; and let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, so that they may grow as fish into a multitude in the midst of the Earth.”

¹⁷ But when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. And he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.

¹⁸ And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father. For this is the eldest. Put your right hand upon his head.”

¹⁹ But his father refused, and said, “I know well, my son. I know well. He shall also be a people; and he shall likewise be great. But his younger brother shall be greater than he; and his seed shall be full of nations.”

³⁰ And the Apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.

³¹ And He said to them, “Come away into the wilderness, and rest a while.” For there were many comers and goers, that they had not had a chance to eat.

³² So they went by ship out of the way into a desert place.

³³ But the people saw them when they departed and many knew Him and ran after them, out of all cities, and got to the desert place before them.

³⁴ Then Jesus went out and saw a great multitude and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep which had no shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.