Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
8 When Israel(A) saw the sons of Joseph,(B) he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,”(C) Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(D) them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(E) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(F) and embraced them.(G)
11 Israel(H) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(I) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(J)
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(K) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(L) 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand,(M) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(N) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(O) though he was the younger,(P) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(Q)
15 Then he blessed(R) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(S)
the God who has been my shepherd(T)
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(U) who has delivered me from all harm(V)
—may he bless(W) these boys.(X)
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(Y)
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”(Z)
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(AA) on Ephraim’s head(AB) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”(AC)
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.(AD) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(AE) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(AF)” 20 He blessed(AG) them that day(AH) and said,
“In your[a] name will Israel(AI) pronounce this blessing:(AJ)
‘May God make you like Ephraim(AK) and Manasseh.(AL)’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[b](AM) and take you[c] back to the land of your[d] fathers.(AN) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[e](AO) than to your brothers,(AP) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(AQ) and my bow.”
23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born,(A) because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.(B)
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.(C) 25 He chose to be mistreated(D) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace(E) for the sake of Christ(F) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.(G) 27 By faith he left Egypt,(H) not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer(I) of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.(J)
29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.(K)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.