Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Prayer for Guidance, Deliverance, and Forgiveness

Of David.^[a]

¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him quickly from the prison. And he shaved and changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I dreamed a dream, but there is none to interpret it. Now, I have heard concerning you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” ¹⁶ Then Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, “It is not in my power;^[a] God will answer concerning the well-being of Pharaoh.” ¹⁷ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now in my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile, ¹⁸ and behold, seven cows, well built and fat,^[b] were coming up from the Nile, and they grazed among the reeds. ¹⁹ And behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, very ugly and gaunt^[c]—never have I seen any as them in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. ²⁰ And the thin and ugly cows ate the former seven healthy cows. ²¹ But when they went into their bellies^[d] it could not be known that they went into their bellies,^[e] for their appearance was as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. ²² Then I saw in my dream and behold, seven ears of grain were coming out of one stalk, full and good. ²³ And behold, seven withered ears of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. ²⁴ And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven good ears of grain. And I told the magicians,^[f] but there was none to explain it to me.” ²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶ The seven good cows, they are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain, they are seven years. The dreams are one. ²⁷ And the seven thin and ugly cows coming up after them, they are seven years, and the seven empty ears of grain, scorched by the east wind, they are also seven years of famine. ²⁸ This is the word that I have spoken to Pharaoh; God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁹ Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. ³⁰ Then seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will consume the land. ³¹ Abundance in the land will not be known because of the famine that follows,^[g] for it will be very heavy. ³² Now concerning the repetition of the dream twice to Pharaoh, it is because the matter is established by God, and God will do it quickly. ³³ Now then, let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and let him set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint supervisors over the land, and let him take one-fifth from the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. ³⁵ Then let them gather all the food of these coming good years and let them pile up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶ Then the food shall be as a deposit for the land for the seven years of the famine that will be in the land of Egypt, that the land will not perish on account of the famine.”

Faith and Works

¹⁴ What is the benefit, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but does not have works? That faith is not able to save him, is it?^{[a] 15} If a brother or a sister is poorly clothed and lacking food for the day, ¹⁶ and one of you should say to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well^[b],” but does not give them what is necessary for the body, what is the benefit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”^[c] Show me your faith apart from your^[d] works, and I will show you my^[e] faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he^[f] offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,”^[g] and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she^[h] welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? ²⁶ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.